ROOT
by Nightmare Sired Muse
Summary: Fate doesn't intervene just for those who are pure of heart. Naruto, a ROOT operative, wakes the morning after completing the most heinous mission of his career in a place where creatures as deadly as shinobi stalk the lands and chakra is beyond the common man. But when returning home proves impossible, will the cold-hearted blond embrace this new chance or revert to his old ways?
1. A Boy and his Cat

_**Title:**_ ROOT

 _ **Summary:**_ Fate doesn't intervene just for those who are pure of heart. Naruto, a ROOT operative, wakes the morning after completing the most heinous mission of his career in a place where creatures as deadly as shinobi stalk the lands and chakra is beyond the common man. But when returning home proves impossible, will the cold-hearted blond embrace this new chance or revert to his old ways?

 _ **Rating:**_ Heavy T, Eventual M

 _ **Pairing**_ : ? There's a poll for input.

 _ **Inspiration:**_ "The Traveler" by The Straight Elf. By far the best Pokemon fic I've ever read. Thankfully he's been so kind as to lend his support and invaluable advice for this story, and has given his permission for me to draw ideas from his work. I can't stress it enough, if you've never read it, do yourself a favor and go bask in its greatness

 _ **AN:**_ So, as you could probably glean from the summary, Naruto won't be the best person in the world. Really, he'll be quite the _bastard_. I can't stress that enough. How long this will last, I'm not entirely sure. To be honest, the part of him that was trained by Danzo will likely never completely fade. But in my own opinion, it's the broken ones who are the most fun to read and write about.

The story itself begins in Johto, but won't be contained to this region alone. The story will expand beyond its borders. Just how far is yet to be decided.

 **UPDATE:** I know how much people hate Naruto, but he does change. Give it a few chapters.

Chapter One: A Boy and his… Cat?

"Professor Elm."

With a great deal of reluctance, said man tore his focus from the stream of information upon the monitor to hold twin pools of crisp, stoic sapphire with his own gaze.

"Mr. Uzumaki?" Elm glanced over the youth's shoulder to where the rest of the examinees resided, diligently pouring over the test that would determine whether they would become League recognized trainers or would spend the next year preparing for the same test once more. "Can I help you? Is there something you didn't understand?"

Extending the heavy booklet, the blond said in his scratchy drawl, "I'm done."

Elm arched a thin, dubious brow. Taking the exam from him, the professor flipped through its contents with a discerning eye. "I'm aware your situation is different from that of the others sitting this make-up exam, what with you being our youngest applicant and that this is your first time taking said exam at all. But to underestimate this test by not giving it your all or rushing to be the first one done is a folly that could cost you greatly."

"Look to your peers," Elm waved a hand at the rest of the examinees, teens ranging in age from a year or two older than the preteen himself to those on the cusp of adulthood. "This exam is not to be taken lightly. Though anyone your age is permitted to sit it, as you can no doubt see, a sizeable portion fail to achieve the required percental to pass. It would be wise to spend the remainder of the time you've been afforded revising."

The blond shrugged, unconcerned, a wide, unnerving smile that didn't touch his eyes slinking into place upon his lips. "I'm done."

The professor attempted to get a read on the young man, to discern something, be it false bravado or staggering arrogance, from the flat depths that were his gaze, but found only chilling nothingness. If nothing else, the kid had a hell of a poker face.

"Very well," Elm sighed, dropping the booklet onto his desk and opening it to the first page. "Since no one else is finished, and won't be for some time, I suspect, I'll grade yours personally. You may either return to your seat or tour the lab until I'm done."

The blond nodded his gratitude as he made for the door, turning a blind eye to the leering of the other test takers. To the outside observer, his movements were random, the wonderings of a too curious twelve-year-old. But his stride carried a purpose none save the blond himself knew. It was staggering how trusting and unobservant the people of this world were.

It had been akin to the dousing of a flame. One moment it had been there, an ever-constant presence flickering just upon the fringes of his senses. The next, someone or… _something_ had snuffed it from existence.

A harsh breath that had ruthlessly and without remorse extinguished the world's life-force… _chakra_.

Or to be more accurate, as he had quickly come to learn as he investigated the land in which he woke, a gale born of fate's cruel lips that had spirted him away from his home. Not only Konohagakure, but the Elemental Nations as a whole.

By no means was he a sensor type. Despite his master's heavy handed tutelage, his charka was too potent and plentiful for the delicate control required to be anything more than a novice of the craft. Yet even he could sense its absence in the trees, its people, and every living thing around him. It was surreal, like waking to find one of his limbs or five senses had been severed.

For what felt like the thousandth time since waking in the sleepy little settlement known as New Bark Town, Naruto violently disrupted the flow of his chakra network. Yet no amount of genjutsu combating exercises could release him from the illusion that was his new reality.

It was this realization that saw him here today, in Professor Elm's research lab, sitting for an exam that would allow him to become a pokemon trainer. As Danzo-sama and his handlers in ROOT had always stressed, should one find themself taken unawares, they must be quick to adapt and conquer, or risk the integrity of your objective.

And the only sin known to the murderous little monsters that were Naruto and his brothers and sisters in ROOT was compromising the mission. And though there was no official mission to be completed, per say, he _would_ do both. Adapt. And conquer.

With a lack of charka in the world and its people, status and one's influence was decided through battles between trainers, or more accurately, the pokemon trainers captured and trained.

It was all very similar to the ninja academy. One became eligible to become a trainer at the age of eleven—a year earlier than the average shinobi graduated from the academy—given that they proved themselves capable of handling the responsibilities and hardships synonymous with the day-to-day life of a trainer. Once this symbol of status was achieved—the equivalent of a forehead protector—from there on it was up to one's own skill how far they would go.

Before he knew it, Naruto found himself around back of the lab, perched on the fence in which the lab's younger and newborn pokemon were kept. Groups of rattata scampered about squeaking and hissing at one another. Green, spider-like pokemon with vaguely face-like marking on their abdomens skittered about, spinning elaborate webs and hanging from the very trees in which a large number of Hoothoot were taking up residence out of the mid-day sun and catching a bit of shut eye.

Pokemon, as he had come to know them, were not a form of wild summons as he had first suspected, but were, however, capable of posing just as much danger as the nin-animals shinobi signed contracts with. While these creatures were incapable of harnessing chakra like their human counterparts, they were not to be underestimated. Though rare in the extreme, even the youngest of hatchlings, if threatened or given great enough cause, could turn dangerous, if not outright deadly. The humans of this world, bar their incredible advances in technology, were no match for the threat a pokemon, any pokemon, could present with their natural capabilities.

And though he himself had yet to encounter any such pokemon, from what his investigating revealed, they could grow to be true forces of nature. As powerful as any shinobi from his world. Possibly even, if the tales of legendary and mythical pokemon carried any truth, as strong as a Kage.

"Mr. Uzumaki." Feigning surprise, the blond slid from the fence as the speaker, one of Elm's aids, approached. "The professor wishes to speak with you about your results."

Nodding, Naruto allowed the stern-faced woman to lead him back into the lab, pausing only long enough to cast a glance in the direction of the boy lurking just out of sight within the tree line encompassing the rear of the lab. With only a short trip, he found himself in a room different to that which the exam had been held. He deduced it was the professor's personal study as the man himself sat behind a large, handsome desk, looking quite at home, his focus ensnared by what he recognized as his exam.

"It's rare for someone to surprise me," Elm admitted. He wore a look of begrudging amazement as he once more glanced over the preteen's work. "And you say you didn't attend a trainer's school?"

Naruto shook his head. Unknown to the professor and his assistant, the remaining bunshin hidden away in the lab's library dispersed with a silent pop.

"Remarkable," the man awed. "It's a shame you didn't take the exam earlier. Had you done so and achieved the same score as you did today, you would have been a shoe in to receive one of Johto's elemental starters. As it is, however, the maximum number we can distribute each year has been reached. But on a positive note, your score more than qualifies you to receive a pokedex."

"Thank you, Professor." He accepted the scarlet handheld, feeling clunky and out of his element with the piece of tech in hand. While his world did have such things as radios and television, the technology displayed and utilized on a daily basis here was leaps and bounds beyond anything the Elemental Nations could ever hope to replicate. At least through technologically speaking. There wasn't much a true master of fuinjutsu couldn't achieve with their complicated seals. Fortunately, he was taking steps to rectify his ignorance, using the lab's computers, which were open to public use, and familiarizing himself with the pokegear he had "liberated" from an unsuspecting trainer he had happened upon in the woods surrounding New Bark Town.

"Normally, trainers who don't qualify to receive a chikorita, cyndaquil or totodile, are given one of the more common breeds that frequent the areas around town, such as rattata, caterpie, or the like. However, given your admirable showing, we've decided to break from tradition."

Withdrawing a nondescript pokeball from his desk, he presented the new trainer with the red and white sphere, which the blond took without hesitation. Without fanfare or a drawn out pause, Naruto tapped the button just as he had read to, expanding it to its full size and tossing it into the open space within the office in a single fluid motion. Instantly the room was illuminated with crisp, blue light that was quick to consolidate and take form. When the lightshow subsided and the dots had disappeared from his retina, Naruto was left staring at what could be best described as a cat.

While mostly cream-colored, its tail, which was mostly straight save for a tight, abrupt curl at the end, and hind paws ended in a shade of darker brown. But its most notable feature was the sizeable, golden coin upon its brow. For all intents and purposes, it appeared to be your typical feline, he noted, until it raised up from its haunches to stand on its hind legs in what was a very human-like manner, a likeness that was compounded when it began to stretch its front paws high overhead and yawning widely.

"You'll need to register it to your person," Elm cut in, pointing a finger at the palm sized computer he had given him. "But until you do, it will still function properly. All you need do is point it at the pokemon you wish to learn about and it will give you a brief description of its species," he added when Naruto didn't react right away.

Doing as he had been instructed, he directed the pokedex at the cat who had turned intelligent, listless eyes upon him.

" _Meowth, the Scratch Cat Pokemon."_ The pokedex droned on in a stoic, mechanical voice. _"Nocturnal in nature, Meowth withdraws its sharp claws into its paws to slink stealthily about in the night as it hunts for round, shiny objects."_

" _Meowth knows the moves: scratch, bite, screech and foul play. Its ability is Technician, which doubles the power of weaker attacks."_

"Meowth are known to be frighteningly cunning and hold the compacity for human-like intelligence," Elm explained. "This one is no different."

Naruto nodded, surveying the normal-type with a critical eye. "Interesting."

 _ROOT_

Stepping off into open air from up high, Naruto dropped noiselessly from a mighty oak into the same deserted meadow where he had originally found the trainer whose pokegear he stole. The crack of meowth's pokeball played in time with the displacement of air that signified the appearance of a kage bunshin.

Meowth's teal gaze danced back and forth between Naruto and the bunshin he had conjured. The normal-type looked burgeoningly curious at the appearance of her new master's clone. Though even this development wasn't enough to hold her evasive focus for long.

"Let's see what you're capable of," Naruto began in a commanding tone that brooked no room for disobedience. "It only takes a strike of moderate force to disperse my clone." To demonstrate, the blond backhanded his doppelganger, sending it from existence with an audible pop and a bit of lingering smoke as proof it had ever imitated life.

"I want you to use each of your attacks on it," he continued, earning a fleeting look of surprise from the feline as he created another clone to take the original's place. "Starting with screech. From what I gleaned from the pokedex, it's the only attack you know that doesn't do direct damage. After, you'll spar with one of my clones."

When meowth made no move to follow his instructions, Naruto gave his clone a silent signal to act. Before the normal-type knew what had happened, she found herself pinned to the ground by an unbudgening weight at the base of her skull.

Naruto walked around the struggling pokemon and his clone, who had pinned the feline to the ground with his foot, so the former could see him as he spoke.

"You can resent me if you like, but know you will obey me. In return, I will feed you, protect you, and nurture you into more than you could ever hope of becoming on your own. There is no room for negotiation. If this proves too much for you to accept, then grow strong enough to claim your freedom with my life's blood. Just know, each time you try to take my head or flee, I will make you pay for such impudence."

They were the same words Danzo had breathed into his ear as his private force _conditioned_ him to recognize the old cripple as his master. Brutal as they were, Naruto himself could attest to how affective of a motivator they were.

Giving the same silent signal as before, the clone stepped away from meowth, allowing her to rise slowly onto all fours and glare up at him. The speed with which she lunged at him surprised the blond, but a moment later a frown crinkled his brow and thinned his lips.

From what he had read about the species from the pokedex, meowth would evolve into a larger, more powerful breed of cat, one that traversed on all fours. Yet meowth itself walked upright on its hind legs like a human being. A problem he would have to see that she ceased. There was a reason a normal human couldn't outrun most four legged creatures. Utilizing only its hind legs was a waste of its potential and was unknowingly impeding her speed.

Her claws were only inches from his unguarded face when his clone stepped in, grabbing the cat by its tail and slinging her bodily into a nearby tree. Before gravity could catch her and drag her back into the earth's cold, unfeeling embrace, Naruto appeared before her, pinning her to the tree's abrasive face with his foot. The soul of his sandal dug painfully into her narrow chest as the bark tore at her fur covered spine.

"Your speed is impressive, but there's room for improvement. There's always room for improvement."

 _ROOT_

"That egg," the redhead jabbed an accusing finger at the large, melon-sized oval. The other boy, holder of said egg, a dark-haired preteen who sported a backwards cap, struggled as he attempted to stow it from sight in his backpack. "That's a pokemon egg, right?"

"And if it is?" The one to speak was neither of the boys, but a young girl, who stood protectively in front of the boy with the backwards cap, her arms folded across her nonexistent chest in a way that promised pain should he attempt anything.

"How in the hell did you two manage to get your hands on one?" The redheaded boy, the same youth Naruto had spotted lurking about Elm's lab almost a week half and a half prior, demanded. In a move that was meant to intimidate, but only Naruto caught on to, his hand fell to his side, his fingers grazing along the polished surface of the pokeball on his hip. "Pokemon eggs are rare. And neither of you have been a trainer for more than a few days."

From his perch up a nearby tree, Naruto arched a single sun kissed brow at this tidbit of information. Without giving his actions thought, he allowed years of conditioning at the hands of his former master to take control.

"If you must know, we're bringing it to Professor Elm's lab," the girl, Lyra if Naruto wasn't mistaken, growled as the boy at her side stood up, slinging his bag over his shoulder. From what he could discern from the trio's body language, Naruto knew the confrontation could end in only one manner. Conflict.

"Why don't you hand it over," the redhead cawed harshly. "I'll keep it safe for you."

Their answer came in the form of a chikorita and a cyndaquil, both starters tensed at the sight of the redhead, ready to pounce at a moment's notice. Mimicking them, the redhead sent out his own pokemon, a blue reptile that Naruto recognized as totodile, the final member of the elemental starters Elm had mentioned to him in passing.

"Two on one," Naruto mumbled loud enough for all to hear as he exited the woods halfway between the antagonistic redhead and the duo who were the subject of his game of cat and mouse. "Those odds seem a bit skewed, don't you think?"

"He started it," Lyra grumbled hotly, glaring at the redhead over his shoulder.

"I did," the redhead admitted nonchalantly. "And I'll finish it, too, as soon as you get out of the way!"

"Sorry, red. My pockets are a tad light at the moment. I'm in need of a bit of spending money. How 'bout it?" he inquired, directing his question at the fairest member of their mismatched foursome. "You up for a little one-on-one?"

Lyra looked momentarily taken aback by being addressed by the new arrival. But quickly regained her composure, her wide, doe-like eyes narrowing determinedly. "I'm game."

"Good," Naruto clapped his hands jovially, causing the other boys, who had been too busy glaring at one another to pay attention to his antics, to jump in surprise. Rule number one, always keep the opposition off balance. "Think you can handle him with a type advantage?" Naruto asked patronizingly, giving the redhead's water-type a lingering glance.

"You just worry about not losing," the redhead sneered.

With a nonplussed shrug, Naruto tossed meowth's pokeball, releasing the normal-type a few feet from totodile. From next to him, the redhead snorted.

"A meowth?" he goaded.

"At least I didn't steal mine," Naruto shot back, low enough that only the redhead, Silver, as Naruto knew him, could hear.

Waving off the beginnings of what was a stuttered denial, Naruto turned his attention upon the grass-type. "Focus," he growled, partially to Silver, but more so meowth, who eyed the grass-type with something akin to disinterest. The normal-type, realizing her folly, tensed upon all fours, ready to obey any command imparted.

"Chikorita, use razor leaf!" Lyra cried out.

"Dodge it," Naruto ordered quietly. "Use your speed to get in close and use scratch and bite."

Doing as she was commanded, meowth slinked close to the ground, well beneath the barrage of flora, and quickly closed the dived between her and the grass pokemon. Without hesitating, she threw herself at the slightly heavier pokemon, bringing both fang and claw to bear upon its unprotected face and neck. With its canine-like yips spurring her on, meowth didn't relent for even a second.

"Quick, Ivory. Use vine whip to toss it away!"

"Retreat," Naruto ordered at hearing the lass's exuberant command. "If any of its vines get too close, cut them down."

Using the grass-type as a launching pad, meowth sprang away, dancing back before its opponent could retaliate. Out of habit, meowth rose up on to her hind legs, a mistake a sharp hiss from her trainer corrected.

"One more slip up like that and there will be consequences." Naruto warned under his breath.

Using its vines to upright itself, chikorita sent them high into the air overhead before bringing them crashing downward with a grunt of effort. Meowth, as he had commanded her to, sidestepped the heavily telegraphed attack, moving in close before chikorita could reel them back in and severing the tiny, harden nubs at the end of each appendage with her razor-sharp claws.

Lyra cried out in concern with chikorita, who gave a pained yip at the loss of her vines.

"Ivory!?" Lyra almost sobbed, taking a few steps forward before a hand on her shoulder, belonging to her traveling companion, stopped her in her tracks. Both Silver, the other boy, and even their pokemon had stopped to watch the battle between meowth and chikorita playout.

"Are you alright? Can you still battle?" In confirmation, Ivory barked as she returned her vines into the folds of her neck. Making it clear she could no longer use them in their current battle. They would take at least a week to grow back and properly heal. "Good girl," called a relieved Lyra, who looked on the verge of tears. "Use tackle!"

Naruto shook his head, a motion that wasn't wasted on either boy, though Lyra herself missed it, focused as she was on the wellbeing of her starter. "Finish this with foul play," he commanded under his breath.

Foul play was a dark-type move. A technique capable of harming ghost-types and that turned the opponent's power against them. And while it was useless against something like razor leaf, it was the perfect choice against physical attacks.

To Lyra and chikorita it appeared as if meowth had sudden decided to stop fighting, resting on her hind haunches in the middle of the dirt road. But as the grass-type launched itself recklessly at meowth, the normal-type rose onto her hind paws, as she was only allowed to do when using said attack. Using her momentum against her, meowth slammed the grass-type over her shoulder and straight onto her skull, rendering her unconscious instantly.

"Still not done, red?" Naruto taunted as he recalled meowth. Not waiting for an answer, he strolled up to Lyra, who had rushed forward to kneel next to a prone and unconscious chikorita, holding his hand out expectantly to her. Clearing his throat when she failed to produce his winnings, he waved his open palm in her face. "Come on," he urged impatiently.

He made an aggravated sound as she fumbled with her bag, searching for her purse. When he had his fist full of pokedollars in hand, the blond didn't waste any time standing about, quickly brushing past the still reeling girl and her traveling companion on his way to the pokemon center, eager to investigate the additional weight his rucksack now bore.

"All of you need to train more," he called over his shoulder, "I expected more of a challenge from someone who scored high enough on the trainer exam to receive a chikorita.

 _ROOT_

Ethan fiddled nervously with his cap as he waited for his call to be answered. When finally his outdated PokeGear connected, giving a telltale crackle followed by the sound of someone absently clearing their throat, he couldn't hold back the stream of babbled apologies and pleas for forgiveness that spewed forth from his mouth.

"Slow down," Professor Elm sighed, his brow furrowing grimly at the lack of video. It was rare in this day and age, and more than a little disconcerting he would readily admit, to receive a call without a live feed of the person on the other end of the line. "Now who is this?"

"It's me, Professor. Ethan."

"Ethan? Are you alright? You sound upset."

Ethan wasn't sure what inspired the thought, but couldn't escape the same suspicion about the Professor. The man sounded uncharacteristically cross, as if someone had succeeded in ruffling the normally composed man's feathers. "I'm sorry, Professor. It's the egg Mr. Pokemon gave us. It's gone. Someone stole it." The teen couldn't hold back a wince at the long string of obscenities that greeted this revelation.

"Not another one," Professor Elm hissed to himself in a manner that was very unlike the cheery, albeit forgetful persona he normally displayed to the public.

"Another one?" Ethan parroted, his confusion momentarily overwhelming the guilt that had plagued him since his discovery that he had lost the egg.

Professor Elm sighed, the sound a harsh, weary one. "Yes. Unfortunately, a pokemon was stolen from the lab earlier this week. The only lead we have is a sighting. Nothing concert mind you. Only a youth with hair a vibrant shade of red. A boy about your age, or so I'm told, that one of the aids spotted hanging about the lab in the days preceding the theft."

"A redhead?" Ethan mumbled distractedly, his mind going back to the trainer he had battled, and defeated, just before the egg was discovered missing. "The pokemon that went missing? Was it a totodile?" he clarified. Across from him, Lyra, who had been fidgeting as nervously as if she were the one responsible for telling the professor that the priceless egg they had been charged with transporting had been stolen, perked up.

Elm stuttered, understandably bewildered, before finally coughing out, "Yes, yes it was. How could you know that?"

"Because I battled a redheaded trainer _just_ before the egg went missing. He had a totodile and was really interested in the egg." Ethan clicked his tongue in time with the professor's knowing "oh".

"There was a..." Ethan hesitated, casting an uncertain glance at Lyra. "There was also a blond with a meowth. He battled Lyra and Ivory, her chikorita, while I faced the redhead. It fought like it was possessed. It almost felt like staring down a wild animal."

"A blond with a meowth, you say. Did this trainer happen to have any distinctive scars, or a notable birthmark?"

"Yeah, they looked like… _whiskers_." A chuckle bubbled at Ethan's lips at the faint dusting of red that appeared on Lyra's cheeks at the mention of the trainer that had defeated her, but smothered the reflex as he doubted the professor would take very well to his laughter at a time like this.

"That would be Naruto Uzumaki. An impressive young trainer who quite randomly showed up on the lab's doorstep about a week or so ago and aced the trainer exam. His results were some of the most promising I've seen in some time. While certainly not the most outgoing or winning of personalities, I certainly wouldn't think of him as the type to steal a pokemon." Ethan waited patiently as the sounds of the Professor's fingers gliding across a keyboard drifted through the receiver. "I've just looked at his trainer information, Naruto Uzumaki has only one pokemon registered. The previously mentioned _demon meowth_."

Clearing his throat, Elm continued. "We only give out twelve elemental starters at the beginning of each conference season, only four of which are totodile. I'll search our records and find out if any of the four match the redhead's description. Unfortunately, even if there isn't such a trainer on file, that doesn't prove he's our culprit."

"Why not?!" Lyra nearly fell off the stump she was perched upon, so random and indignant was Ethan's yell.

"Because it's quite possible, however unlikely the odds may be, that the trainer you battled received his totodile as a gift, either from a parent or some other individual, or captured it himself. All my research will yield is a possibility of clearing him of suspicion, nothing more."

"You should have seen him, sir! He just gave off this vibe that screamed 'I'm up to no good!' And his friend, _Naruto_ , he was just as bad!"

"Pardon my asking, Ethan," Elm began, a bit of wry humor and exasperation entering his voice. "But what exactly is your problem with Mr. Uzumaki? Did he perhaps win his battle with Lyra?"

Ethan stuttered indignantly, "He did. But I don't see-"

"Has it ever crossed your mind that it might be resentment that has you categorizing him along with the young man you suspect stole the egg?"

"Of course not," he denied, shame burning his cheeks.

"All I'm saying is don't be so quick to pass judgement on others. Especially those you don't know. It's quite easy to mistake one's own bitterness for the stirrings of suspicion."

"Yes, sir," Ethan sounded thoroughly chastised. Though both Lyra and a burgeoningly amused Elm could still detect a hint of resentment in his voice.

"About the egg," Elm continued. "There's nothing we can do about it now. It was unfair of me to have asked so much of you and Lyra. And I can't very well fault you for a theft when my own personal lab was burglarized while I was here. We'll call it even for now. Someday when I need a favor, I call upon you two, again."

 _ROOT_

"Not too impressive to look at, is it?" In the privacy of their room in the Cherrygrove Pokemon Center, Naruto studied the egg he had snatched from Lyra's friend. The mostly pink egg rested motionlessly upon a cradle of pillows and mismatched blankets he had tossed together. "Are all pokemon born of eggs?" he asked absently, not expecting any sort of answer from the normal-type. As intelligent as she had proved to be thus far, he didn't expect her to start spouting off answers in human tongue anytime soon. Or ever.

Withdrawing his pokedex, which was rapidly becoming his most invaluable asset in his quest for dominance over Johto, Naruto set to work looking for the answer to his own question. He was surprised with what he found. While not all pokemon were hatched, a large majority were, in fact, oviparous.

With his excitement once more rekindled, he glanced over the egg at the feline who had spent the past half an hour sending it resentful, unimpressed glances. Only a warning glance from the blond kept her from batting at it with her paw. Bored with their current setting, meowth slinked forward, a pleasant rumble in her chest as she attempted to side up to him, seeking an affectionate touch or any form of contact at all. Meowth were very social creatures, after all.

"You should be working on learning pay day." Naruto pinned her where she stood with a stern look, his narrowed gaze daring her to brush against his side. "Tomorrow we set out for Violet city. It'll be a week's travel at a normal pace. Your slip up today aside, continue to battle as you did against chikorita, and you'll have nothing to fear from me."

Creating a bunshin, the clone made its way over to the lone window, which it proceeded to wrench open. "I promised to feed you, and I intend to keep my word. However, you will need to learn to how to hunt for your own food as well." With a curt nod, Naruto motioned for the normal-type to follow his clone out the second story window. "Don't return until you've captured your dinner," he called out as she disappeared from sight. Once more alone, Naruto returned to pouring over his pokedex and the entry on pokemon eggs, which, funnily enough, was penned by none other than one Professor Elm.

 _ROOT_

The most exotic creatures populating the road bridging Cherrygrove and Violet City weren't the pokemon, but the droves of trainers who insisted upon ladening their teams with the all but useless bug-types that polluted the area. Left baffled by their strides toward mediocrity, he continued to push meowth as harshly as Danzo and his handlers had him.

" _Again_."

Sitting upon the edge of a creek, her mammalian features twisted into a rictus of grim resolve, meowth poured all of her focus into creating the tiny spheres of energy the pokedex described in its entry on pay day. But just as all of her previous attempts over the past five days had ended, this session too had proved to be fruitless.

"Damn it!"

Meowth had only enough time to turn rigid with fear before she was sent crashing into the creek. Hacking up water as she shakily pushed herself upright, her master's ill-boding shadow fell across her in time with his sandaled foot catching her round the chin and lifting her up and out of the water and across the clearing. She landed in a tangle of limbs, her momentum having yet to slow before he had once more kicked her, this time back into the water.

"I warned you," Naruto shook his head, disgusted. "If you're not going to give me your best, I'll force you to go above and beyond the limitations you've set for yourself."

"Now then, _run_!" In helping her build up the proper muscle memory to make the transition from two legs to four more natural, Naruto had been forcing her to make a portion of the journey each day at a full-on sprint. As a result, not once since their battle against Lyra had she slipped up and returned to her hind paws during battle.

Meowth scampered from the creek as quickly as if death itself were on her heels, her undercoat soaked through and her already filthy paws sinking deeply into the muddy bank. Naruto stayed close on her tail the entire way, his pace little more than mild jog. It was in this manner that they reached their destination.

Violet City was by far the largest settlement he had ever laid eyes upon. There were countless glimmering buildings, the sun catching their reflective surfaces and alighting the air like fire, each as mighty and as tall as Konohagakure's Kage monument. Their pointed, heaven piercing spires scraping against Kami's heels like a bed of kunai lying in wait. From the crest of a hill overlooking the city, the blond could make out structures more akin to those found in his world, sturdy, traditional, and constructed from the bones of mighty trees, dotted throughout the forest of twisted iron and sleek, polished metal that was the home of his first gym battle, Violet City.

Next to him, meowth spared the human settlement an apathetic look before pursuing more pressing concerns. Mainly, attempting to rid her once luxurious coat of the filth marring it. Rare were the occasions, when outside her pokeball, that she wasn't being put through the ringer by her temperamental human. While she could indeed rest inside, it was essentially a form of stasis or suspended animation, akin to being trapped in a continuous moment, the same restless second again and again. While free of its confines and her master proved to be too caught up in his own musings to bother with her, as fleeting and rare as these moments were, she could at least stretch her legs and, thankfully, try to bathe.

"Come," Naruto ordered, taking the first of many such steps that would lead them to the heart of Violet City. "I want to challenge Falkner and his overgrown birds before nightfall. But first we need to locate a pokemon center."

At his words, meowth tensed, prepared to once more cross a distance that should have taken hours in a fraction of the time. Yet was surprised, pleasantly so, when his pace proved to be sedated, if only by his own insane standards. To anyone who hadn't been subjected to traveling with him over the past two weeks, he would have been the perfect image of a rookie trainer only hours away from challenging their first gym, all except for the rigidness of his smile that is. No matter how often he showed challenging trainers or passersby on the road that same tilt of the lips, it failed to warm the sharp, frozen depths of his sapphire-shaded gaze.

Luckily, like most metropolises, Violet City possessed multiple pokemon centers. One to the north, south, west, and where Naruto and meowth entered, the east. It took only a few minutes to get registered for a room, and only a handful more to have meowth given a quick once over by a cheery, if a touch harried Nurse Joy. The youthful healer gave the retreating blond and his filthy pokemon a weary glance as they disappeared upstairs.

Having dropped off his belongings, including the egg, which had been returned to its throne of blankets and pillows, he pulled out his pokegear, flipping through its features to the section with detailed maps of the region. He ignored the laughter of a passing couple, the fairer half of the duo needlessly pointing out that "his" pokegear was pink, whereas her boyfriend's only remark was to comment on how dated the piece of tech was. Locating the Violet Gym on the map, he took a roundabout route, going out of his way to stop at one of the city's pokemarts. Using the funds he had won battling and snagged from the pockets of the inattentive, he purchased a few potions, antidotes, a book on some of the more common plants, herbs and berries found in Johto, and finally a couple of spare pokeballs.

"I need to see some ID." The clerk behind the counter barely looked up from a watch-like device he wore, on which he was talking with someone else.

Naruto nodded impatiently as he withdrew his pokedex, which doubled as an ID, his gaze lingering upon the expensive looking device strapped to the man's wrist. The need for verification was one of the reasons—really, the _only_ reason—why he hadn't just stolen someone else's pokeballs. Until the sphere was registered to a trainer, a pokeball was little more than a pricy paperweight. It was how the league and people like Professor Elm were able to determine which pokemon a trainer had captured and avoided confusing one trainer's pokemon with another's. Use a ball registered to another to catch a pokemon you defeated, it was then their pokemon in the eyes of the League. And there was no legal means to regain ownership of the pokemon, bar the owner of the ball willing transferring its ownership, and subsequently the pokemon within.

With a grunt, the clerk verified he was who he said he was and registered them to his trainer card. The entire process took less than five minutes, but the blond was left annoyed by the process. Grumbling his discontent as he exited the mart, casting a final glance at the watch, he absently followed the directions to the gym he had memorized as he pursued the book on the properties of local flora and berries.

Medical ninjutsu was just another branch of jutsu that had been lost to him thanks to his abundance of chakra and the beast that had once upon a time called his gut home, prison, and hell. As such, Danzo had seen to it that he was well versed in other healing crafts, such as potions and elixirs, binding wounds and broken limbs, and even the crafting of poisons. Call it his inner cynic, or the overly cautious tendencies of someone who had been a part of one too many missions that had gone sideways in the worst possible way, but he believed in being prepared. It just seemed the epitome of idiocy to go off into the wilderness, often for weeks or more at a time, where pokemon centers and hospitals were as scarce as danger was plentiful, without a bit of knowledge on your side.

It was only about mid-afternoon when Naruto found himself standing before the Violet Gym. Plenty of time to challenge Falkner before the gym hours ended. What he hadn't expected, however, was a wait. There was a sizeable group loitering about outside the gym, all trainers given their varying states of worn and dirty clothing and row of pokeballs resting low on their hips. Near the entrance stood a teenager, more of a man than a child, with a ridiculous haircut that fell in a way that obscured a portion of his face, attempting, rather unsuccessfully, to calm the discontent of so many restless trainers.

"Everyone will get a chance to battle leader Falkner. However, there will be a wait. Unless you're willing to battle one of the gym's trainers, you'll need to return tomorrow."

Naruto stepped forward while many others grumbled about not getting to battle the gym leader immediately. "I'll battle anyone, as long as I get a shot at the gym leader tonight."

Nodding, the gym affiliated trainer pulled out a pad and pen as he asked, "Name and number of pokemon on your person?"

"Naruto Uzumaki, and only the one." The blond stared blankly at the teen taking his information, who had chuckled obnoxiously at his answer before abruptly sobering when catching his mirthless gaze.

"Alright," he coughed, uncomfortable with the weight of the youth's intense eyes resting with him. "How many badges do you have currently and, if you've competed in a conference in the past, what's the highest you've ever placed?"

"No badges," Naruto shook his head. Behind him, another trainer, a girl who had been there before he arrived, lined up behind him. "This is my first year registering for a league."

The boy nodded as if expecting such an answer. "Go stand over there. Someone will come find you when we have your opponent ready. Next!" As Naruto moved toward where the lad had gestured, he caught the goofy smile to appear on the information taker's face as the girl behind him gave her name. "Hilda."

To pass the time, as he had taken to doing in the two, almost three weeks since receiving it, Naruto poured over his pokedex, devouring the abundance of information it had to offer with zeal. He had never been what one would call studious, but early on he had learned the importance of being well-read, as he was shown by the un-repentant and unwavering hand of his ROOT handlers. So it came as a bit of a surprise, even to the blond himself, the fever with which he had taken to all things pokemon, including the purely academic portions. Perhaps it was the novelty of it all which saw him take such an interest in it, or perhaps after taking beatings all his life, he finally realized reading and having a bit of smarts wasn't all bad. Either way, he had systematically devoured every bit of information on pokemon and the world he found himself in that the pokedex had to offer, and showed no sign of slowing anytime soon.

It was like this, with his nose buried in the crimson handheld, that the same teen as before approached him.

Looking bored, and casting not so subtle glances in the female trainer's direction, he motioned for the blond to follow him. "Uzumaki, let's go. You're up first."

Sliding his pokedex into his back pocket, he followed him inside without comment. The structure itself, a massive cylinder design, was a testament to the tasteful architecture favored by Violet City. It was apparent from the high, vaulting ceilings that each floor had been constructed with flying-types and their aerial acrobatics in mind. High up in the rafters roosted a wide verity of flying-types, most of which Naruto had never seen. There were even large, powerful looking avains as large as himself, whose feathers and plumage shined and clinked like segmented steel as they shuffled minutely, their soulless black eyes tracing his every movement as only the eyes of a predator could.

"You'll be facing one of our newer trainers," Naruto's guide informed him as he led him to one of the four battlefields on the second floor. "He's only been with us for a little more than six months now, but what he lacks in experience, he more than makes up for with enthusiasm."

Said trainer looked to be only a year or two older than Naruto's own twelve years, sporting a simply graphic tee and shorts, and a backwards cap that looked two sizes too big for his head. Beaming proudly, he clutched a pokeball, the only one on his person Naruto could make out, tightly in his fist as Naruto approached.

The blond was slightly taken aback by the audience crowded around the field in which his battle would take place. It looked as if all of the gym's trainers and students were there to watch. Catching sight of his surprise, his guide explained as he jogged off to the side to watch the coming match with the others.

"This time of year is always exciting for us. At the start of each new League season, there's always a mad dash by trainers who want to collect their badges earlier rather than later. It's when we get to battle the most." Naruto nodded as he stepped into the challenger's box, opposite his opponent.

"You ready!?" his opponent called to him. Naruto gave a curt nod and a predatory smile, unclipping meowth's ball from his hip as a member of the crowd made their way to the middle of the field to officiate the match. Calling out the rules, which even Naruto now knew by heart, and declaring the match a simple one-on-one battle, the official returned to the sidelines just as the psychic shields that protected both trainers and bystanders from any stray attacks or debris snapped into existence around the field. As one, Naruto and the other trainer, whose name he never quite caught, released their chosen.

Meowth appeared in a flash of blue opposite a black bird of comparable size. The crow-like avian gave a harsh caw before rising into the air with a rhythmic pounding of its inky black wings.

"Come on, Murkrow! Get high up." Flowing its trainer's command, the dual type drifted above meowth in lazy, taunting circles, well beyond her reach. The look in its coal-shaded gaze was enough for Naruto and meowth to know that the dark/flying-type didn't consider them to be a threat.

"Go for it," the other trainer bellowed much to the watching crowd's enthusiasm. "Night shade!"

Naruto's gut lurched when the air about murkrow visibly distorted and turned an otherworldly crimson as a wave of ghostly, sinister energy raced toward a patiently waiting meowth. The normal-type turned rigid at the rapidly approaching attack, but knew her master well enough that if she began without waiting for a command it would spell repercussions for her later. There was something about the attack that reminded him of his last night in his own world and the massacre in which he had participated.

"Move," Naruto hissed. It was a peculiar choice in opening volley. He didn't know if his opponent realized meowth's immunity to ghost-type attacks would protect her from it or if he was really so ignorant as to not know about typing advantages. Unlikely given that one of Johto's premier gyms had chosen to take him on as one of their own. Either that or he was a very fortunate idiot who had yet to encounter a bad typing or a battle in which he couldn't spam night shade. "Don't stop."

"Let's go," barked murkrow's trainer. "Haze! Blind it!"

Inky black smoke poured from the avian's beak, laying heavily upon the field and slowly making visibility all but an impossibility. Meowth cast him a questioning glance as she skittered along the edges of the encroaching smoke, careful not to come into contact with the unknown element.

"Dive in," Naruto ordered. "Stay low and hidden. Force it to come to you." Meowth's leaping ability was as impressive as its speed, which was above average from what he had seen, but she was outclassed in both speed and mobility by murkrow. Luckily for them, the dark-type had yet to display any ranged abilities that would make it all but impossible for them to win.

Quick as a shadow, meowth slinked into the rolling wave of smoke, disappearing from sight.

"Use your perspective to locate it. Then use wing attack!"

Naruto could just make out a vague form belonging to meowth in the cloud of dense smoke, doing as she was told, spidering close to the ground in wait for his next command or a chance to strike at her opponent. This moment came as murkrow, whose sharp gaze picked out the same discoloration upon the backdrop of blackness Naruto was using to follow meowth's movements, descended upon the outline, her wings rigid and ready to punish the normal-type.

"Screech directly overhead! Then stand and use foul play!" Naruto grunted, burning a hole through the avian's feathered form with his gaze.

Smoke clung to meowth's slight form as she did as they had practiced during her spars with his clones, following a command that she herself didn't completely understand, but trusting him enough, if only in the heat of battle, to know he wouldn't lead her astray. A piercing, air distorting cry tore from her throat, dispersing a bit of the smoke cloaking her and causing murkrow to flinch, its sensitive hearing being punished by the auditory attack. It was enough to make a difference. Partially blinded by the dense smoke, it was instinct which allowed meowth to turn her opponent's impressive momentum against it. Murkrow made a pitiful sound as it crashed beak first into the field's unforgiving floor, the tide of its built-up speed only adding to the force of the feline's attack. The dark-type stilled for only a second, smoke billowing from the site of its impact, before it gave a pained lurch as it awkwardly attempted to stand using its ruffled wings and smarting beak.

"Don't let it up, Naruto ordered ruthlessly. The crowd by now had gone silent, their cheers and cries of encouragement for their fellow trainer dying on their tongue's as meowth pounced upon the downed murkrow.

"Peck! Shake it off!"

"Pin it by its neck, if it moves, punish it." With its nape clenched between her teeth, meowth pressed her needle-like claws against its vulnerable wings. All it would take was a moderate amount of pressure from her to "clip" them.

"Call it," Naruto snapped at the referee. Showing mercy went against everything he had ever been taught. It was like saying "wait till my back is turned and guard is down to kill me." But in pokemon battles it was frowned upon to permanently harm one's pokemon, let alone finishing the job. So he would let his opponent forfeit the match, but if they refused his kindness, he'd show no mercy. From her position, anything meowth did would be devastating.

The referee was surprised by being addressed. He looked to murkrow's trainer, who looked stunned by the abrupt turn the battle had taken.

"Forfeit," Naruto ordered coolly, his icy tone like a slap to the face. He had expected more from someone who had been a trainer for at least six months. But like all things in life, he expected there were just those who would excel where others faltered.

Cap askew and mouth agape, the trainer looked pained into silence at the sight of his helpless pokemon. Though Naruto could see it, read it in his warm brown eyes, there was still fight in him. Fight which he was more than willing to crush.

The order formed on his lips, turning them rigid and crooked with an angry sneer. Yet before the command could be voiced, the crack of a pokeball and a tan streak on the air blew them all back, including Naruto and meowth. The blond used meowth's pokeball to recall her before her momentum could carry her into the psychic shields encasing the field.

Returning her ball to his hip, Naruto straightened from the defensive crouch he had fallen into. Standing off to the side, another group of trainers at his back, was the one Naruto was willing to bet was the inspiration for his guide's choice in hairstyle. Hovering on the air before him was the beforementioned tan blur. The massive avian, with its glossy, colorfully plumage and cream-colored underbody, floated in place, its majestic wings, the span of which was easily as wide as Naruto was tall, beat downward in a sedated, rhythmic pattern that dispersed any remaining smoke and created a gentle breeze.

"Matty, this loss is yours," the new arrival declared in a haughty, self-important voice. It was enough for Naruto to know instantly they wouldn't be getting along.

Extensive conditioning to be emotionless to all things aside, which had never been quite as effective on Naruto as it had others, there were still those who he tended to dislike on principal. That his handler had been a Hyuga, the pinnacle and very definition of blustering, opinionated, and full of undeserved pride, he tended to carry a rather intense dislike for any who exhibited any of these qualities.

"You lost the moment he turned your advantage against you." Dressed in clothes that wouldn't have been uncommon in Naruto's own world, but that stuck out like a sore thumb in this new society, the trainer sauntered forward, recalling the magnificent flying-type as he went.

"Leader Falkner," Matty gasped, hastily recalling murkrow, who had only just begun to rise now that the weight, meowth, had been removed from its back.

"Go," Falkner snapped, refusing to look at the teen. His focus lay with Naruto, an unimpressed look lurking in his eyes. "We will speak at length about your failures once I'm finished with… _this_."

"Challenger," Falkner continued as he turned toward a grand set of stairs that would lead them higher into the gym and eventually to the roof. "Are you prepared to challenge me for the Zephyr Badge?"

Naruto's lips thinned, displeased, as he shook his head. "No, I'm not."

The crowd, which had been making their way toward the stairs, paused, giving off stirrings of surprise and discontent. Falkner also came to a stop, a knowing, shit-eating grin affixed to his face.

"And why not? Your meowth appeared no worse for wear after your battle. From what I heard, you were the most eager to challenge me."

He was correct of course. Meowth hadn't been harmed at all during the match. But aside from screech, which had been more effective than he had realized it would, he had no way to close the insurmountable dived between meowth and his sky bound flying-types. Unlike "Matty," who had been all about close quarters combat. Naruto was sure Falkner wouldn't be hindered by any such flaw. His pidgeot had blown meowth away with just the strength of its incredibly powerful wings, no wind attacks necessary. And while he was sure they wouldn't be facing it or anything remotely as powerful as the avian, he knew a lost cause when he faced one. Falkner was looking forward to thrashing meowth for its win against his student. Naruto wouldn't give him the satisfaction… _yet_.

"Because unlike your trainee, I know when to fight and when to retreat."

Giving a genuine smile, a dark, antagonistic twist of the lips at the affronted look his words earned, he turned to leave, but stopped as he almost walked into the female trainer from before. Sporting a black and pink cap, a simple vest over a tight white tee, and a pair of cutoffs that displayed miles of toned, well defined legs, she silently regarded him with crisp blue eyes that drifted between his own blues and meowth's pokeball. How long she and her guide had been there, he wasn't sure, which bothered him more than he would admit.

The moment lasted all of a second before she moved on, following her guide toward the field next to the one his battle had taken place upon. Without waiting for an opponent to appear or the ref to step forward, she released a flying-type of her own.

The avian was easily as large as Flakner's pidgeot and just as impressive to behold. Its wings were made up of shades of red, white, and dark blue. In spite of himself, Naruto withdrew his pokedex and directed it at the bird. But when its name was revealed, it wasn't his pokedex which spoke.

"A braviary," Falkner observed, sounding impressed, if only mildly. Forgetting the one who had insulted him and his gym, the admittedly handsome twenty-something year old strutted up to the obviously foreign trainer, a hungry look warming his eyes as he gave her a slow once over.

Scowling down at his pokedex and the "seek national pokedex upgrade" message, Naruto shoved it roughly in his pocket as he strode back downstairs and out of the gym. There was training to be done.

AN: This story is very much a study in what a trained killer—a _real_ assassin—would be like as pokemon trainer. I hope I've at least caught a bit of what I was going for.

As I hope will be clear by next chapter, Naruto's selection in pokemon won't be what you normally find in such stories. No, he won't have any legendries nor pseudo legendries. Though just because his choice in pokemon isn't the same as what's normally spammed by other such stories, doesn't mean they won't be powerful.

As for the egg, it's not the same pokemon as you get in the games or hatched from Ash's and Misty's egg. Though I kind wish it was. Have you seen the stats for togekiss, togepi's final evolution? It's a beast.

And finally, if you're interested in doing beta work on this please contact me through my PM.


	2. A Toxic Encounter!

_**Title:**_ ROOT

 _ **Summary:**_ Fate doesn't just intervene for those who are pure of heart. Naruto, a ROOT operative, wakes the morning after completing the most heinous mission of his career in a place where creatures as deadly as shinobi stalk the lands and chakra is beyond the common man. But when returning home proves impossible, will the cold-hearted blond embrace this new chance or revert to his old ways?

 _ **Rating:**_ Heavy T, Eventual M

 _ **Pairing**_ : ? Poll's still going.

 _ **Inspiration:**_ "The Traveler" by The Straight Elf. By far the best Pokemon fic I've ever read. Thankfully he's been so kind as to lend his support and invaluable advice for this story, and has given his permission for me to draw ideas from his work. I can't stress it enough, if you've never read it, do yourself a favor and go bask in its greatness

 _ **AN:**_ So, once more, Naruto IS A BASTARD. No sense denying it, as you well know from last chapter and, unfortunately, this chapter as well. But he won't always be. So yeah, there's that to look forward to. Yes, he'll always be a bit stiff, or rigid if you prefer. But changes are a coming, of which I have set the ground work for in this chapter.

Also, before the introduction of X and Y, Feint Attack was spelled Faint Attack. I'll be using the new spelling, so please no spamming about it. Also, when researching the attack, I saw that across different pokemon media (the games, anime and the manga) it was described as doing different things. So, I chose the one I like best: the move makes the user "disappear" so they can attack the unsuspecting target.

And finally, I posted this-the second chapter of three that I have written-to explain about Naruto. Stay around at the end of the chapter to find out more.

Chapter Two: A Toxic Encounter!

With the egg swathed safely in a warm blanket and resting comfortably in his lap, Naruto turned the page in the book on plants he had bought a week earlier. From the corner of his eye, he watched as meowth dodged a swift, but painful restrained kick from one his clone. Scampering quickly up a nearby tree, her claws easily finding purchase in the tree's craggy face as around her appeared half a dozen glowing, pulsating spheres.

Payday finished charging with a blinding flash of gold, each orb momentarily resembling the medallion upon meowth's brow as they rocketed toward the clone who had come to a stop at the base of the tree. The kage bunshin didn't bother with dodging, exploding into a cloud of smoke with a thoughtful, approving look.

Naruto looked up from his book to nod at the panting meowth, who was resting upon one of the tree's branches.

They were a week into their journey to Azalea Town. Initially, there had been no plans to move on from Violet City, only a trip into the wilderness on the outskirts of the city. But the further from the city they trekked, the less inclined he was to return. It was on the second day that meowth finally produced her first successful attempt at pay day, and was now taking great strides towards mastering what was her only ranged attack for the time being. She was even working on the beginning stages of feint attack, cloaking her body in dark-type energies that would erase the user from sight, if only for a _brief_ stent of time, which allowed them to launch a surprise attack. A decision they had agreed upon together thanks in part to the rumors of ghost-types occupying the road to their destination.

Naruto was no longer concerned with earning the zephyr badge. After Azalea Town, the next city with a major gym was Goldenrod and then Ecruteak. To reach the latter from the former, one first had to take a road that doubled back a ways toward Violet City. If and when he got this far, he would once more pay Falkner a visit, and next time he would have an answer for his flying-types.

But for the time being, he was content to continue with his traveling, shuffling from place to place with all the haste of someone who had no direction in life, reading whatever he could get his hands on and overseeing meowth's training. The routine he had fallen into was the closest thing to relaxation he had ever known.

Danzo-sama would have been ever so disappointed with him.

The backhanded praise on the tip of his tongue died when, from the cradle of his lap, the egg gave a pronounced shudder. It wasn't the first time he had felt its tenant announce its stirring consciousness, but all of the previous times its movements had been timid in comparison.

Naruto's focus lay ensnared by the egg, yet he retained enough focus to prepare for meowth's attack. The cat launched itself at him in a fit of jealous rage. Not for the first-time, Naruto came to the realization that she didn't take kindly to being ignored in favor of others, particularly the egg which he had practically dotted upon since stealing.

Hand clasped about her throat, Naruto watched idly as she sunk her thin, needle-like claws into his forearms, attempting to disperse him as she had his clones the few times she had succeeded in scratching them while pinned. Her claws made quick work of his arm, drawing crimson-weeping rivets and ripping sinew and flesh from the bone. It wasn't until she noticed a distinct lack of "pop" that meowth stopped. Her lovely teal eyes widened with a shock that was quickly replaced with a touch of remorse and more than a little fear as the realization of what she had done began to sink in. Her blood and gore stained paws went limp at her sides as she attempted to set the egg ablaze with little more than a poisonous, hate filled look.

"So it's the egg you wanted… not this," he mused, dropping her not so gently as he inspected her handy work. "Is it that you think I show the egg preferential treatment?"

Meowth didn't meet his eyes as she timidly rose on to her haunches. Though she had no way of concisely breaching the language barrier between them beyond nodding or shaking her head, he could read the answer in her intelligent, expressive gaze. Jealously, like a disease, eating away at her. Even after his ill treatment of her, spitting in the face of her species' natural vanity, there was a part of her that still sought his approval. That affectionate pat on the head he had denied her the night he stole the egg. It was a look he knew well, the same starry eyed look he had harbored for Danzo once upon a time. Until the man had seen to it that it had been crushed, irrevocably.

It wore heavily at his well-crafted veneer stoicism to see that same look reflected back him.

"What I expect and demand of you, will also be expected of whatever that egg produces. It will be an asset, just as you are, and just like you, _nothing_ more. And if it fails to live up to my expectations, I will snuff its existence from this world."

Meowth's gaze didn't rise as she crept slowly toward him, reaching out a paw which she used to tap the button on her pokeball.

Giving a long-suffering sigh, Naruto withdrew one of the handful of scrolls that had been on his person when he woke in New Bark Town. He needed to tend to his arm. Though he failed to remember it in times such as when meowth had been doing a number on his arm, he didn't heal quite as rapidly since the loss of the kyuubi.

 _ROOT_

Naruto's smile widened in the cruelest of ways when his opponent, a mohawk wearing, overall sporting trainer, sent out a pidgey. The small brown and cream bird flapped its wings wildly, hovering over its trainer's slack shoulders.

"Meowth." Said feline appeared crouched on all fours, her eyes immediately sought out her opponent. An angry hiss tore from her mow as she bared her fangs menacingly at the avian.

"Sand attack into gust!" Peter, the opposing trainer, called.

"Hunker down and bare it." Meowth laid close to the ground, her large ears folded tightly to her head and tail tucked securely beneath her, as she braced herself for the oncoming storm.

Pidgey rapidly flapped its short, powerful wings, kicking up a wall of sand that blinded all captured in its grasp. No sooner had the sand died down that it was followed by a strong wind that took on the form of a miniature tornado. Meowth tempered the attack by sinking her claws deep into the earth as the wind whipped every lose piece of debris in the immediate vicinity about furiously.

"Quick attack!" Peter yelled as the miniature cyclone died out, leaving meowth dirty and buffered, but otherwise unharmed.

"Dodge it!" Meowth stood, shaking her head to rid it of any remaining sand only to be knocked from her feet by a blur of tan feathers. Pidgey raised back into the air as its master called for a repeat performance.

"Locate it and use pay day! Foul play if it gets too close."

Meowth spotted it just as it began to blur forward. Unfortunately for pidgey, pay day was already forming around meowth, rocketing ahead blindly before abruptly erupting as the avian unintentionally collided with the attack. Pidgey squawked, hurt by the unexpected attack, as it circled back.

"Gust into tackle!" Peter yelled with an enthused pump of his fist.

Again, pidgey pumped its wings, kicking up another small tornado. Meowth avoided most of it by using her impressive speed to run away from where the wind was strongest and was lying in wait when pidgey got in close. Slamming it into the ground with foul play, meowth jumped the downed bird, repeatedly using scratch, sending feathers head high, and biting the now screeching bird.

"Return," a scowling Peter grunted. Pidgey disappeared from beneath meowth in a flash of red. Next came a spearow, a breed of avian not all too different from pidgey except for its species' penchant for being perpetually unpleasant. Its red, brown and black feathers ruffled and its sharp eyes narrowed in displeasure. Its movements were the opposite of the natural grace of the pidgey line, what with the harried, frenzied flapping of its stubby wings just to stay afloat.

"Shoot it down with pay day. If comes low enough, pounce on it."

"Fury attack." Peter called, unaware of the plan of attack.

The signature golden flint of pay day appeared around her, hitting their mark without any difficulty. Spearow cawed angrily, further upset by the pain it had been caused, before continuing its charge. Swooping down on meowth, intent on sharping its beak on her, it was unprepared for the feline to launch itself at it. Its powerful claws tearing at its sensitive underbelly in what Naruto recognized as fury swipes—a move that was essentially a repeated use of scratch and that had taken less than a day for her to pick up—as her added weight brought them both crashing earthbound.

Not for the first time, Naruto was grateful meowth's ability was technician, which made weaker attacks like scratch, bite and pay day twice as powerful as they would normally be. It made the small feline a real threat as was apparent as another of Peter's pokemon found itself trapped beneath a furiously attacking meowth.

With a curse, Peter recalled his second flying-type. Naruto carefully shrugged his rucksack from his shoulders as he waited for the other trainer to make the walk over and deliver his winnings. As a fuming Peter stalked off, the blond began to gather up wood to start a fire, intent on setting up camp for the night. It was early evening and there was a good hour or two of daylight left before it would begin to grow dark. Yet he was in no rush to reach Azalea Town, just happy to be free of Union Cave and the hordes of finicky zubat and grumpy geodude that called it home. It didn't hurt that he had spotted a couple of plants he didn't recognize and some interesting looking berries in the surrounding area that he wanted to pick and seal away until he could find a guide he could read on making medicines and salves.

While the book he bought did identify some of the flora that was eatable and safe to handle and which were to be avoided. A guide was required to know which specific plants you could mix to create safe medicines. Even two plants that were harmless or possessed properties that were healthy for consumption, if mixed could have an unexpected chemical reaction to one another that could prove lethal. Or as was equally as likely, produce something that was useless and a waste of perfectly good ingredients.

Dropping a pile of kindling in the middle of the small pit he had crafted with a D-rank doton, Naruto checked on the egg and meowth. The latter was sitting by the lake, having finished cleaning her fur of any remaining sand that had been left over from pidgey's attack. She was occupied with a bit of self-training. Her cream-colored form flickered in and out sight, cloaked in a shroud of shadowy energy that was made up of hues of inky black and dark, haunting purple.

Despite its typing, foul play didn't require the user to channel any of the shadowy, unnatural energies most dark-type moves utilized. Feint attack was quite the opposite. While there was little finesse needed, the technique did require an abundance of the energies. Which translated to the fact that she was essentially learning how to properly channel the required energies from scratch.

Her focus was absolute, so it was no surprise she was ignorant of the pair of slitted, luminescent eyes trained on her back from the depths of the lake. Naruto didn't waste time calling out a warning, in a move that would have looked like a human using teleport had anyone witnessed it, but was in actuality a high speed shunshin, Naruto shoved meowth out of the way in the same heartbeat that a long, powerful body erupted from the lake's shallows, its wide, unhinged maw dripping with poison. Knee pressed unforgivingly to the base of its skull as he pinned the large, mostly purple serpent to the shore. The air was silent except for the sounds of its enraged hissing, the eerier shake of its rattler, and the heavy, repeated thump of its scaled, muscular body smacking against the damp bank as it attempted to free itself from its predicament.

Naruto whistled as he took in the creature. A vibrant purple from head to the end of its tail, the exception being a band of yellow scales about its throat and its bulbous rattler and slitted eyes of the same color. The snake was at least five feet long, if not a bit longer, and was thick enough around that were he to wrap his hands around its throat they wouldn't have touched.

Digging in his back pocket, Naruto withdrew his pokedex and was almost bucked from his perch on its head for his carelessness. Fangless maw opened in a venomous hiss, a shower of glowing barbs shot from its mouth, peppering the campsite, but missing his bag, the egg within, and meowth, who when he had last seen her was a pile of limbs upon the ground that he wasn't about to turn and check on while straddling a snake.

"Would it be a waste of breath to ask if those are poisonous?" Assuring it wasn't likely to move, Naruto pointed his dex at its rounded, scaled head.

" _Ekans, the Snake Pokemon. Moving silently and stealthily, it unhinges its jaw, using its poisons and internal acids to digest any prey it swallows whole._ "

Naruto nodded as he pocketed his pokedex in time to take a skull jarring lashing about his head and shoulders from ekan's ambidextrous tail. And in quick succession, twice more.

As the weight of its powerful tail lifted from his shoulder, reading back for another stupidly powerful blow, leaving a keen sting deep in his bones and about his head, particularly in his ribs, a flash of light from the corner of his eye set the hairs on the back of his arms on edge. A significant portion of its tail had taken on a luminous sheen of silver, like molten steel.

Before he could flee or attempt to do anything else, he unconsciously channeled a bit of chakra into the seal on the wraps around his wrist. Finding his fist gripped about a kunai, he swung the tool of his trade upward as hard as he could at the awkward angle he found himself in to parry the blow that would have turned his skull to mush were it to strike cleanly.

Naruto's kunai snapped under the power of the attack. Not giving it time to try again, Naruto delivered two devastating blows to the back of its hardened head with his elbow in quick secession. .

Leaping up, he called out, "Pay day until it's out."

Upon the third time shooting it, meowth shuffled out of the way as Naruto tossed a pokeball. Giving only a single red glow, it quickly "clicked" signifying his first catch.

 _ROOT_

"You ready?"

Meowth nodded. Her large eyes narrowed in concentration and body tensed, prepped to leap forward should the newest member of their team turn hostile. Around her pay day slowly began to form.

She could disperse the attack at any time before it completely formed. Just as she could hasten the process and complete it at a moment's notice. The lengthier method made the attack more powerful, but obviously came with its own set of risks, which was why they had yet to attempt it while in battle.

Ekans appeared upon the edge of the halo of light given off by the fire. The serpent coiled in on itself, hissing and thumping its rattler in warning.

Naruto, once more with the egg in his lap, set on the edge of the fire, meeting the creature's sharp gaze with listless, unimpressed eyes. It would prove to be a mistake.

Ekan's eyes took on a sinister, crimson glow. Before Naruto could react, he found himself completely paralyzed. Unable to twitch a finger, blink, or even draw breath.

Meowth realized what was happening when her master's soft, even breathing abruptly halted. Instantly, the spheres hanging about her flashed gold and rocketed toward the snake as one of the clones she hated so appeared behind it.

Ekan's concentration was severed as its scaled hide was assaulted. Hissing at meowth, coiling further in on itself as it prepared to launch itself at her, it found a dead weight crushing down on it from above, pinning its head in the folds of its body and unable to move at all.

Naruto grunted as his mobility returned, taking a deep, greedy breath as an all too rare smile made an appearance. First there was the firsthand knowledge of exactly what it was meowth could do with its claws earlier in the week, now he had a snake capable of rendering its opponents immobile with just a glance. Damn snake reminded him of the sannin his master loved making backroom deals with.

"That wasn't very nice." With a bit of ROOT sign language, Naruto motioned for his clone to get off ekans. Free once more, the snake turned on its assailant, jaw unhinging and unleashing a shower of tiny, poisonous needles in the clone's face. The serpent flinched at the unexpected "pop" and smoke that resulted, but was quick to turn back to the original.

Naruto formed a horse seal, creating a handful of clones that crouched protectively before him and the egg as he once more withdrew and turned his pokedex on the purple serpent.

"Wrap, poison sting, bite, glare, and iron tail." Naruto nodded as he pocketed the handheld, peeking from between his barrier of clones at the wide-eyed snake. All signs of aggression had disappeared with the appearance of a human capable of creating doubles of himself. "Now that I know your move pool, no more surprises."

"Here's how it's going to be, if you like, you may fight me. Not meowth, but _myself_. But no matter what you chose, you will come to obey me. I will make you strong. Together we will crush anyone who gets in our way. So, what will it be?"

Ekans scrutinized him for a moment, its eyes drifting to the clones circling him and meowth, whose long, intimidating claws were on display. Taking a moment to look thoughtful, it bobbed its head. Its tail rattled as it relaxed the coil it had been twisted into, exposing a bit of its sensitive underbelly as its tongue flickered in and out of its mouth, tasting the air.

Believing the serpent's compliance to be genuine, Naruto dismissed his clones to their posts around the camp's perimeter. No sooner had they left that the blond drew a kunai, not liking where the nest raider's eyes had automatically been drawn.

"I won't curve or deny you your natural diet, but this egg is off limits." Naruto pulled the egg closer to his chest, unconsciously turning it into the heat of the fire to better warm it. Ekans lowered its head like a chided puppy might, a giant, purple puppy capable of swallowing half of his body if it really had the mind to.

 _ROOT_

"We're close now." Naruto glanced up from his pokegear, taking in the thicket around them as he and meowth ran through the woods. The closer to Azalea Town they grew, the rarer flat lands and the abundance of lakes Johto's southern peninsula boasted became and more plentiful trees were. The forest they found themselves in now was free of the touch of man, bar the single wide, well-traveled path leading to the town that rested at its heart.

Who spotted the town off in the distance first, Naruto or meowth, neither knew, yet both slowed to a leisurely walk as the small town came into clearer focus. The settlement itself could have passed for a town in Naruto's own world. The biggest buildings that he could make out were the Pokemon Center and the town's gym, though neither were the largest by a great margin. As opposed to Violet City, which was very much a thriving metropolis, Azalea Town was every bit the warm, quant town its name suggested.

Walking into the lobby of the Pokemon Center, it was lightly populated by a handful of trainers, all of whom had a single released pokemon at their side. More so than their trainers, it was the pokemon who took note of Naruto and meowth as they approached the front desk. In a neighboring section of the center where the bank of video phones were stored, he could just make out the soft murmur of people chatting with friends and family.

"I'm telling ya, I know what I saw," an accented voice hissed, drawing Naruto's attention. The answering voice was just as accented but gruff with age and what the blond expected was a lifelong addiction to smoking.

"And I'm telling ya can't of! Team Rocket hasn't been seen in years! Why in the hell would they be in Azalea? It don't make no sense."

The arguing duo, a man with salt and pepper hair and his grandson from the resemblance they shared, ignored Naruto as they passed, unaware of the audience they had unintentionally garnered.

The younger of the two shook his head, on the verge of shedding angry, fearful tears. "But it does make sense. The slowpoke and other local pokemon have been acting strange as of late. Some have even disappeared. It could be Team Rocket's doing! I'm sure of it!"

"Now you listen here," the older man grumbled, taking the teen roughly by the shoulder. "Don't you go making up ghost stories, scaring the hard working people of Azalea with something you _didn't_ see."

"But, grandfather!" the boy tried only to be silenced by his stern faced kin.

"Now that's enough," the old man cut over him with a growl. "I'll not hear any more on it!"

"Welcome to the Azalea Pokemon Center," Nurse Joy greeted, interrupting his eavesdropping, smiling when meowth leapt onto the counter. Offering a hand to the normal-type, wisely unwilling to initiate physical contact with a pokemon she knew nothing of the temperament of, she ran her fingers skillful behind the cat's ears. "Any excessively large or temperamental pokemon?"

"No." Naruto watched on in apathy as the nurse turned meowth into purring mess upon the counter, undoing the proud creature with just a few well-placed movements of her fingers. It was the most emotion he had seen from her since she attacked him. "I do, however, allow my ekans to maintain its natural diet."

Nodding, Nurse Joy gave meowth a final pat on the head as she took her and ekans' ball from her trainer. "And all you want is a checkup?" Naruto nodded.

Informing meowth she was about to recall her, Nurse joy tapped the ball to the normal-type's brow. "I'll page you when I'm done," she informed him as she made her way toward a back room.

 _ROOT_

Naruto was silent as he watched the trainer before him, a girl a few years his senior, accept a tray of pokeballs, bowing deeply and respectfully to the rosette behind the counter. The gesture earned her a blush and charming smile from the perpetually chipper nurse. It wasn't the first-time Naruto had seen this exact scene playout in a Pokemon Center or when a Officer Jenny passed on the street. Yet only now, after pursuing answers, did he understand the significance of the interplay.

Nurse Joy turned her pleasant smile upon him, asking him to wait a moment as she went to fetch his meowth and ekans. In most, if not all, Pokemon Centers and major cities the world over, there was a Nurse Joy ready to tend to your pokemon's aliments and a Officer Jenny standing constant sentry, ready to serve as sword and shield at a moment's notice.

The original Joy and Jenny were heroes of the last great war this world had seen. Both had gone above and beyond the call of duty, saving countless lives and preventing further tragedies in what was the bloodiest conflict in written history. After the war, the two were honored for their deeds, and were asked if they would be willing to give just a bit more. Being who they were, they agreed without hesitation. Every Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny from Kanto to the distant lands of Kalos, doing the work they loved, were clones of these selfless, incredible women.

They weren't clones in the same sense as Naruto was used to, but those born of blood and flesh and science. Created in a test tube to be absolutely identical to and inherit the best traits of their foremothers. Cloning was a relatively new advancement in science, only a few decades old to be exact. Yet now it was possible to even clone extinct pokemon, a process that was previously believed to be impossible thanks to the degree of difficulty involved in a process that was almost impossible with a living specimen to work with.

Naruto gave a curt bow as he accepted meowth's and ekan's ball from her. Standing, he found himself facing the same selfless to a fault smile that she presented the world. It was the flash of her hair—its distinct, not quite red hue, so much like that of a certain rosette—as he straightened that triggered a memory of _that_ night. His last mission before waking here.

Composure rattled, he disregarded any further pleasantries, stalking from the center at a clipped pace that managed to draw the attention of those standing in the center's lobby. Without conscious thought to where he was going, too focused on not remembering, he found himself standing before the second largest building in town, the Azalea Gym. Like when comparing their respective cities, the Azalea Gym lacked the grandiose and pretentious airs that hung about Flakner's gym like a funk.

While comparably smaller than its sister gym in Violet City, the inside was by far Naruto's favorite of the two. The floor, which felt like a forest floor under foot, was covered in a layer of leaves that crinkled and crunched under his weight. Dotted around the shadowy interior, shrubs and even trees could be seen, the coloration of all which suggested that while it was almost April outside, inside fall was here. An atmosphere which was added to by the only source of light being the tinted glass ceiling.

The reds, burnt oranges, and varying shades of brown of the thousands of leaves littering the floor gave one a feeling of stepping into a natural meadow.

It was a suddenly very at peace Naruto who realized the calming effect the gym had had on him moments before a teen in a large straw hat approached. The lad sported a lazy smile and looked to be an easy-going type. Behind him, Naruto could hear the entrance open and close, and could feel a pair of eyes burning a hole in the back of his skull. Yet he chose to see what it was the gym trainer had to say rather than investigate. Were there a need for concern, the bunshin lurking in the shadows would have dispersed to alert him.

"Howdy," greeted the Azalea native in the same accent Nurse Joy and all the other residence of Azalea spoke with to varying degrees. "If you're here hunting for Leader Bugsy, you're out of luck. He's already stepped out for the day."

Sighing, Naruto began to turn, but was stopped as the trainer waved his hands in attempt to stop him from leaving.

"Wait! If you're looking for a battle you can challenge some of the gym's trainers. We' can't offer you an official match against our gym, but we're always looking for good one-on-one."

Naruto started to nod much to the trainer's simultaneous relief and joy, but the blond was stopped by an angry hiss from behind him.

"You're telling me, I came all the way out here to the boonies, and the gym leader isn't even here?" Silver growled as he stepped into the blond's peripheral, looking ill-tempered and all around unpleasant as he fisted one of his pokeballs. "What else could he have to do in this backwater hole?"

"How about you, blondie? Want to battle?" Silver butted in before Naruto could accept gym trainer's offer of a battle. "Let's see if that meowth of yours is up to snuff."

Looking uncomfortable with the new arrival's aggressive attitude, the boy, Chaz as he introduced himself, offered up one of the gym's field's up for their potential battle. It was a silent Naruto who followed the straw hat wearing youth, rubbing shoulders with a smirking redhead.

"Most of our fields are the same. A few trees and bushes as a bit of natural coverage, but otherwise plain," their guide explained.

"I like it better than Violet City's gym," Naruto offered honestly, more as an excuse to voice his own dislike of said gym than to alleviate any of their guide's insecurity about his own. Whether or not Chaz realized as much from his scratchy, apathetic drawl, it still earned him an appreciative grin from the older boy.

"Here we are," Chaz announced with a bit of excitement as Naruto and Silver took their respective places in their trainer boxes. The protective shields hummed to life around the field as the former unclipped ekans' ball from his hip.

"How many pokemon do you have?" Silver called out to him.

"Two."

Smirking, Silver unclipped a second ball from his hip. "That's it?"

Naruto shrugged, nonplussed by his attempts to rile him up. "Quality over quantity."

"This will be a two-on-two match. The challenger," Chaz pointed at Silver who sneered," will chose first."

Before Chaz had ever finished speaking, Silver had thrown his chosen's ball. A small ursine pokemon with mostly orange-brown fur and a crescent marking upon its admittedly adorable features appeared in the center of the field. All big eyes and a sleepy expression as it lapped at its honey matted claws, had Naruto been the type to underestimate anyone, he might not have chosen ekans to be teddiursa's opponent. But unfortunately for the cub, he had grown up in a world where everyone, even the youngest child or the frailest of grannies, had to be regarded as a possibly threat, and the living, breathing teddy was no different.

Ekans appeared with a hiss, shaking its rattler as it coiled in on itself. A shiver passed through the tiny bear as it met ekans' big, yellow eyes, the snake's ability, intimidate, taking effect.

Silver grimaced at the serpent. "Have you lost a match yet?"

"No, but I know you have."

The redhead scowled as he barked, "Sweet scent and then metal claw."

The tiny bear opened its mouth widely, unleashing a pink cloud of mist that slowly encroached across the field toward ekans. Behind the mist, teddiursa scampered forward on its hind feet, a paw held up to its tongue as it savored the honey there, the other taking on a sheen of silver that was all too similar to ekans' tail when using iron tail for the blond's liking.

Wishing that he had chosen to work ekans on learning haze instead of acid, which he had yet to make any headway with, Naruto called out, "Try to disperse the cloud with poison sting, but be sure to hit teddiursa with it as well."

Doing as he was told, ekans shot its poison sting into the approaching mist to only marginal success. The speed with which the barbs moved slowed the mist, but failed to disperse it or completely stop its approach. Still it was enough that teddiursa outpaced the attack, shuffling forward with a glowing paw and took a hide full of said barbs in the process. It let out a whimper at the barbs stuck in his fur and exploded, pumping the tiny bear full of poison. Yet it seemed Silver had trained it well enough as it never slowed.

"Glare then finish it," Naruto ordered confident in his ability to conclude the match without his instruction.

Ekans' gaze shifted to crimson, freezing the tiny bear in its tracks before it could unleash the destruction its blunt, powerful claws promised. Jumping forward, his mouth dripped with poison, but before her could inject his venom in his immobile victim, he brought his powerful tail swinging about, the end of which had taken on the same foreboding shine as teddiursa's claws. It was almost cruel, the way ekans sent the bear flying back into the mist it had created with a blow of its powerful tail. Not giving it a chance to recover, ekans fired poison sting twice at the downed bear before Chaz could call the match.

Naruto recalled ekans in time with an enraged Silver. Knowing what was coming next, he wanted to test meowth against Johto's water elemental starter.

Meowth paced back and forth, slowly retreating as the last of the pink mist continued to encroach on her portion of the field. From his side of the pitch, Silver smirked at her predicament as he spat instruction to totodile.

"Try and clear away enough of sweet scent to make a path to totodile. It will pick you off from a distance otherwise." Meowth released a horrible screech that made even Naruto, who was behind her, grimace in pain, creating distortions on the air. While not super effective in displacing the air, it did clear away enough that she could leap over what remained, charging totodile as soon as she landed gracefully on the other side.

"Get in close."

"Water gun, totodile," Silver ordered, his tone hitching. "Keep it away. If it gets near, use ice fang!"

Meowth ducked beneath the powerful stream, having to eventual jump to the side and abandon her charge in favor of avoiding the stream the water-type had redirected to follow her. Ears twitching at her master's soft spoken command, she once more used screech, the shift in distance making all the difference. Totodile clutched at its head with its stubby arms, having lost its concentration and ability to maintain water gun due to the horrible, skull rattling attack. It took only a second for meowth to close the divide between her and her prey, slamming into the still reeling water-type square in the chest and raking her claws along it thick, durable hide and long snout.

"Fury swipes." Meowth unloaded on the downed reptile, but unlike most of her past opponents, the blue creature was a great deal more durable. With only a bellowed order to get up from its trainer, totodile fired a water gun point blank at meowth, sending the cat flying off him. Spitting and hissing angrily, the soaked meowth was unprepared for a set of ice incased fangs attached to an all too powerful jaw to latch onto her.

The sound meowth produced as totodile's bared down on her right arm and half her sternum was best described as a pained wail that lost volume as the air was ripped from her lungs. The big jaw pokemon showed surprising strength for such a small creature, lifting meowth overhead and shaking her like a dog might a rag doll.

Silver cheered fervently. "Water gun! Follow with another ice fang again!" But totodile didn't listen. It continued to violently shake the normal-type, crushing down on her small form with all the force it could muster. The effects from its initial use of ice fang had faded from its dagger-like teeth, yet they were still as sharp as a blade and more than capable of piercing flesh.

Ignoring Chaz's frantic calls for Silver to control his pokemon, Naruto raised his voice. "Pay day!"

In some very real pain, meowth did as she was told. The first pay day loosened the reptile's hold on her, but totodile didn't let go. She didn't free herself until the third time, pay day peppering the blue lizard in the face, forcing it to release her.

Landing in a pile on the ground, meowth abandoned her record of perfect obedience, unable and unwilling to follow her trainer's commanded as she took deep, greedy breathes. Totodile was no better, shaking its head wildly in an attempt to rid it of the sting lingering in its snout and burning at its eyes as its own trainer screamed for it to attack. When finally meowth attempted to rise, it was to find she couldn't put any pressure on her injured, bloody paw.

"Go to two," Naruto ordered over Chaz's demand that both trainers recall their pokemon. Neither listened.

Using her left arm, an incensed meowth pushed up onto her hind paws. Stumbling into a run, pay day formed around her as the claws in her left paw extended to their full length. She didn't need her trainer's encouragement, she wanted nothing more than to pierce the reptile's sturdy hide.

Totodile wrenched its eyes open just in time to catch a face full of pay day, sending it stumbling backward. Meowth once more used screech, this time from only a a foot away, causing the blinded and stumbling water-type to flinch back and clutch at its head as pay day reformed and fired again. As soon as pay day assaulted its thick hide, meowth was right behind it, raking her paws along its face and shut eyes.

When finally a stunned Silver recalled totodile, it was with an enraged meowth perch on its chest, swinging her claws indiscriminately across the unconscious water-types unguarded face.

"What the hell are you two doing!" Chaz stood rooted in place, frozen by the brutality displaced in battle between rookie trainers. "You're going to do permanent harm to your pokemon, battling them like that! That wasn't a battle! It was a brawl!"

Naruto ignored him as he did what he had never done, walking to the middle of the field where a panting and obviously in pain meowth stood, barely able to stay upright, panting laboriously. Crouching to her level, causing her to flinch at his proximity, he stared at her until she met his gaze, nodding his approval.

"You didn't give up. You fought like the devil and won... _Good job_." With a final approving nod to a wide eyed meowth, he returned her to the sweet release of her pokeball. She deserved a long rest.

Standing, he could see the other boys watching him with something akin to disbelief and horror.

"Are you crazy?!"

"You're mad." Silver shook his head, looking paler than normal, which was an achievement all its own. Without another word, the red head breezed from the gym.

Chaz rounded on him, all traces of good-natured smile gone. "You've gotta leave. Now! Bugsy will be back tomorrow."

Without waiting for him to respond, Chaz took off, leaving Naruto crouched over a pile of leaves that carried traces of his pokemon's blood.

 _ROOT_

"And you're the one he battled, I take it?" Gone was Nurse Joy's pleasant smile, in its place was a disapproving look. "I can't believe you two would push your pokemon so far!"

Without sparing a glance for Silver, who was attempting to both glare at and look anywhere but at him, Naruto presented the nurse with meowth's ball. Accepting it with a grimace, she asked, "How bad is she?"

"Worse than his totodile," Naruto admitted. Next to him the redhead smirked, as if his admitting as much was somehow his victory. "Yet she still won."

"Enough!" Nurse Joy spit, cutting off the redhead's angry retort. "I'll go see to meowth personally. You two stay here. _Separately_ from each other! This is a place of healing. I won't have any of your petty bickering here! Try to act your ages," she snapped, spinning on her heel and disappearing into the back.

Ignoring the redhead's attempt to catch his eye, Naruto made for one of the nearby benches setting along the walls for waiting trainers. Pulling out his dex, he set in for a lengthy wait.

 _ROOT_

"Mr. Uzumaki."

Naruto stood as Nurse Joy, who fiddled with a pair of latex gloves, approached. "You were correct, Mr. Uzumaki. Your meowth was worse off than his totodile."

"How is she?"

"She'll be fine. She'll need time to heal and rest. At the very least a few days of taking it light. Absolutely no battling or training."

Giving an exhausted sigh, she continued. "She has multiple lacerations and contusions, though thankfully she didn't suffer any fractures or breaks. The bruising, which is mainly localized to the upper right portion of her sternum and leg, will make breathing for her difficult for the time being. We're fortunate totodile is young and hasn't fully developed the jaw strength it's species is renowned for. Otherwise, this conversation might have been a very different one."

Naruto nodded, thoughtful. This was good news. From the looks of her after the battle, her fur matted with blood and unable to place any weight on her right front paw, he had feared her recovery time would prove significantly longer, weeks even. But as he had learned, and somewhat doubted if he were being honest with himself, pokemon were resilient, unnaturally so. They could take devastating amounts of damage, the same of which would incapacitate or outright kill a human, and continue going as if nothing had happened. Meowth and totodile were both young and inexperienced, yet it hadn't stopped their battle from escalating.

"Would you recommend a full heal?" Said treatment was one of the few services that the League and Pokemon Centers required trainers pay for. They were practically magic; with the amount of damage the process could heal and the almost immediate turnaround time. The specifics were way over Naruto's head, who had gotten dizzy just attempting to make heads or tails of the explanation provided by the pokedex, but from what little he did understand, the process involved the genes of a pokemon known as ditto, an amorphous blob capable of transforming into anything, being injected into the wounds. From there on, Naruto had been lost as to what exactly was involved, but had understood enough to realize it could heal and reverse the type of damage that even Tsunade of the sannin couldn't heal.

Joy shook her head. "That won't be necessary. Her injures aren't severe enough to warrant such a costly procedure. Give her a few days, she'll be back to her formerly cuddly self," she promised, a smile making its way onto her lips as she thought about her first meeting with the feline.

"However," she continued, her smile slipping, "it's my duty to speak with you about your treatment of your pokemon. Pushing meowth and totodile as far as you and your friend did isn't battling. It's brutality. And I must warn you that should this treatment continue, you could very well find your trainer's license revoked. Possibly indefinitely. Am I clear."

Naruto nodded. "Yes."

AN: Okay, before I get a ton of hate about the fight between Naruto and Silver, allow me to explain. Totodile and meowth are both of a similar power level. So I felt it only natural that a battle between the two would end as more of a drag out brawl than what is normal in a battle. As for Naruto's approval and lack of shock by the bloody fight, remember, he's a ninja trained under the command of the leader of ROOT. To him, he just saw the fruit of his labor, meowth defeating a stronger opponent—yes, totodile is a hair stronger—pay off.

As I've stated previously, The Straight Elf, whose "The Traveler" story inspired this, has allowed me to borrow ideas from his story. I intend to try and reference every idea I borrow from him, but I'm so forgetful it's not funny. However, this one I did remember. I got the idea for the full heal and ditto genes in this chapter from him. Also the psychic shields around official battlefields was him as well. Thanks, Elf!

The poll on the pairing is still up. As for the question whether this is a harem fic, No, it's not. Though he might date two girls at the same time. And finally, Naruto. He's a dick, yeah. That starts to change next chapter, though not completely. Hopefully people come around because that seems to be the main sticking point for most.

Next Chapter: Team Rocket!


	3. Team Rocket

_**Title:**_ ROOT

 _ **Summary:**_ Fate doesn't just intervene for those who are pure of heart. Naruto, a ROOT operative, wakes the morning after completing the most heinous mission of his career in a place where creatures as deadly as shinobi stalk the lands and chakra is beyond the common man. But when returning home proves impossible, will the cold-hearted blond embrace this new chance or revert to his old ways?

 _ **Rating:**_ Heavy T, Eventual M

 _ **Pairing**_ : ? Poll?

 _ **Inspiration:**_ "The Traveler" by The Straight Elf. By far the best Pokemon fic I've ever read. Thankfully he's been so kind as to lend his support and invaluable advice for this story, and has given his permission for me to draw ideas from his work. I can't stress it enough, if you've never read it, do yourself a favor and go bask in its greatness

 _ **AN:**_ As you can likely discern from the title of this chapter, team rocket is featured. Luckily, Naruto is a shinobi, because his team isn't strong enough to face numerous criminals' pokemon, especially an entire hideout of them. Naruto himself is a bit overpowered, but compared to humans with no knowledge of chakra that's not really a surprise. His team on the other hand are being trained by an assassin, and will be quick to grow stronger thanks to this. However, they're not quite so OP as their master.

Chapter Three: Team Rocket!

"You took your time."

Naruto eyed the notable budge marring ekans' serpentine form. The nest raider slithered from the surrounding underbrush looking content and full. Some unfortunate creature would be returning to their nest to find its contents missing.

From next to him, curled up in a ball, where she had been sleeping for the past hour, meowth stirred. Inspecting the intruder upon their makeshift camp for the day, she spotted the snake and quickly returned to her nap.

It had been three days since the confrontation with Silver and his subsequent dressing down by Nurse Joy. As promised, meowth was showing all the signs of making a full recovery after tangling with totodile. She had even regained full use of her right front leg and paw and was no longer having difficulty breathing.

Even Danzo had known the importance of letting his injured properly recuperate. Within the realm of what he saw as reasonable that was. An injured shinobi, no matter how powerful or skillful, was a faulty product waiting to malfunction, more than likely at a critical point during a mission. Naruto once more followed his example, letting meowth rest and relax. The feline had spent much of the time lounging in pools of sunlight and grooming her fur, returning it to its former glorious sheen and brilliance.

"Now that you're back, we'll continue your training. We'll be moving on from learning acid, and focus upon either haze or mud bomb. Likely the former."

Unlike meowth's attempts at learning pay day, which had been a lengthy but fruitful process, ekans had hit an insurmountable wall with acid. The blond had his suspicion as to why this was, but held off from voicing them aloud as he was keenly aware he could be completely wrong as to the reason why. Either way, it was time to try their luck at a new technique.

"As we make our way back, I want you to attempt both. If you have a better feel for one over the other, we'll have some idea where we should start off." Giving a jerk of his head, and bending down to nudge meowth awake, the blond led his team from the from the clearing they had commandeered for their training needs. The reptile of the trio slithered a few feet behind them as they made the return trip, making a sound that was somewhere between a hiss and a hack as it attempted to create a dense black smoke. Meowth, on the other hand, was able to keep up with Naruto and the leisurely pace he had set.

At his side, meowth abruptly paused mid-stride, her large ears twitching as they caught a sound or disturbance in the distance that had escaped both Naruto's and ekans' notice. Crouching at her side, he split his focus between her and scrutinizing the surrounding woods. Beside him, a trio of clones appeared in a puff of smoke, each taking off into the forest at a sprint, their respective missions already known.

"Pokemon or human?" One nod would have signified the former. Two, the latter. And a shake of the head, as they had worked out when creating this method of communicating, meant she wasn't certain.

Naruto's eyes narrowed as she shook her head, her gaze trained partway off the beaten path and into the dense woods. Beside them, ekans slithered forward, his powerful tongue flicking rapidly as he tasted the air for any telling scents. But with a shake of his own head, ekans too was unable to identify what it was meowth had sensed.

Motioning for them to follow, Naruto pressed past the bushes lining the road. Ekans and meowth knowing him well enough from their time with him, proceed with the same cation and focus on remaining silent. Navigating the darkened woods took him back to the early days of his training, when Danzo and his handlers would take him and the other new recruits into Konohagakure's forty-fourth training grounds, introducing them to an environment where they either learned the intricacies of going beyond moving stealthily to becoming one with nature around you or you became dinner for something larger and faster than yourself..

It took the trio only a handful of minutes to locate the one responsible for their impromptu trek into the woods. Meowth's ears twitched frequently the closer they came and not long after ekans had picked out their scent from those native to the forest. Even Naruto could make out traces of their presence, trampled vegetation and bushes and other bits of underbrush that had been disturbed by what Naruto now recognized as a human target.

The trio stopped as they came across their prey, a boy that tickled at something familiar at the back of Naruto's mind. Why he was familiar became clear as he spoke in what Naruto had dubbed as Azalea-speak to a slowpoke at his side.

"This is where I saw 'em. I'm sure of it!" The boy was the same Naruto had overheard arguing with his grandfather a few days prior and was crouching behind some bushes a dozen or so yards from an ancient, weathered well.

The pink dual-type at his side blinked owlishly up at its trainer, the action carried out with such exaggerated slowness that it would have been amusing had it not been so exhausting to watch. Before the stirrings of comprehension could fill its large, dark eyes, a passing butterfree ensnared its fleeing focus. Moving about as fast as one would expect of a creature with the word "slow" in its name, slowpoke eventually found itself staring in the opposite direction of its trainer, oblivious to his plight.

"We'll wait till one of them pops out and- _hey_! _Poke_! What are you doing?" the boy hissed as he turned and grabbed slowpoke by its hunched shoulders. Spotting the blond and his two companions, he gulped, falling onto his backside.

Naruto didn't bother hiding, desiring answers more than keeping his anonymity. "What are you doing?" Tone crisp and quick to the point, the blond brooked no room for a refusal to answer.

"I," he began, shuffling protectively in front of the water/psychic-type. His stutter disappeared and his fear lessened as he noticed Naruto's clothing. The lack of giant, scarlet "R" upon his chest was enough to see his heart slow from a panicked stutter. "I was just-"

"Looking for Team Rocket," Naruto supplied knowingly. The blond stepped forward, no longer attempting to hide his presence, eyeing the well and the heavy, circular slab of cement deterring anyone from entering.

"No!" he quickly denied before looking down guiltily. "Well yes, but not to collect their bounty or anything."

Naruto perked up at the mention of a bounty, but didn't voice his interest. "Then why?"

Glancing up through his shaggy mane of dark hair, he gave the blond a determined look. "Because the wild pokemon me and Poke play with are missing and I think they took them. There are also people missing. I think they took them too!"

"Whose missing?"

"Just a few people who live on the outskirts of town. Like old man Kurt and Maizie, his granddaughter. They disappeared about the same time when the pokemon stopped showing up to play. But everyone says they left on business; he's a bigtime pokeball maker. But I don't believe it."

Naruto recalled meowth and ekans as he passed the boy and his slowpoke, making his way toward the capped well.

"What are you doing?!" he hissed, hunkering down low and glancing about wildly as if he feared all of Team Rocket might chose that moment to pounce from a nearby shadow.

"I'm going to find your friends," Naruto shot back, hooking his finger under the lip of the slab, he lifted it so he could peer inside. The boy gapped at the feat of strength. The one time he had seen it lifted it had required the incredible strength of a rocket's arbok's tail. "For Kami's sake, find a better spot to hide until I get back."

Diving behind a thicker bush, the boy peeked out at him, looking as if he were moments away from being sick. "You can't go down there. They'll kill you if they find you!"

"There's a bounty for rocket heads, right?" he inquired idly as he stepped into the well, adding a bit of chakra to the bottom of his feet to better cling to the cool, damp rungs leading into its depths.

"Y-yeah," he nodded, bewildered.

"Then shut up and hide. I'll be back in a bit." With that, Naruto disappeared into the well, pulling the cover shut as he went. It was pitch black in the funnel leading into the bowels of the cavern. The air was moist and carried the distant screech of zubat. As he reached the bottom rung, he created half a dozen clones that disappeared into the shadows as quickly as they appeared.

Naruto himself picked a direction, his only options being left or right, and headed off into dark. The cave had many confusing twists and snaking turns. It wasn't long before he came across a pair chatting rockets. The way the male half of the duo leaned forward when engaging his female companion and the way his eyes lit up when she spared him a polite smile or chuckled at one of his jokes was telling.

A clone dropped from the celling behind the couple, chopping the man cross the throat, sending the gasping rocket into the original Naruto's arms as he wrapped a hand about the girl's mouth. In an eerily synchronized movement, both of the blonds withdrew a kunai which they proceeded to press to the duo's throat.

"Listen up, lovebirds. Cooperate and you'll both make it out of this alive." The girl, her eyes welling with fear, nodded animatedly. The guy, on the other hand, went rigid, glaring at the twin brats that had dared lay a hand on them. Though it was halfhearted, what with the chill of a blade biting into the tender hollow of his throat, he pressed defiantly against the kid's hold.

Naruto shook his head chidingly. Looking to the girl, he clicked his tongue. "I thought I was perfectly clear." Before she could convey her confusion with her eyes, Naruto's blade drew a crimson line across the man's throat, a line that quickly made the transition to a waterfall of gore. "Now then, are you going to learn from him or shall you join him?"

Fat tears beading at the brim of her eyes, she nodded, sending her violet locks bobbing wildly about her shoulders.

"Excellent." Naruto tried for a disarming smile, yet managed only a wry tilt of the lips. "It goes without saying you're not to scream, correct?" Another nod and his clone took his hand from her mouth, but left his kunai against the hollow of her dainty throat.

"Now you're going to tell me everything you know about your hideout. Who's in charge, what you're doing here, and where are the people and pokemon you've taken?" In his own opinion, Naruto didn't see people who caught pokemon in mass or with complicated devices as being in the wrong. At the end of the day it was just another method of catching pokemon. But this outlook was not shared by most of the society he found himself a part of. Poachers, as they were often labeled, were frowned upon and could face jail time for their deeds.

"Thank you," he smiled once she had finished divulging all of the base's secrets that she knew.

"Please," she wheezed, breathing heavily into his face. "Let me go! I never wanted to be a part of Team Rocket. They forced me!"

Naruto quirked an eyebrow, the single sun kissed strip of hair more patronizing than words could have done justice.

"Really!" she begged, beginning to sag where she stood, but shooting upright as his kunai dug into the fair skin along her throat, drawing a single bead of blood. "I'm from Hoenn. My friends and I only came to Johto to see our friend Daisy. She's Professor Oak's granddaughter. We were ambushed by a large group of rockets. They came looking for her, wanting to use her against the Professor. I told the others to run; that I would distract them and fly away after they were gone."

Now her words came in a shallow rush, stringing together unintelligibly. "They killed my swellow and ninetails. And almost did the same to my camerupt. When they caught me and began questioning me about Daisy, I told them I had never met her before and that we were all traveling to Goldenrod together because it was safer. They believed me and _offered_ me a position as one of their grunts." Here she gave a bitter, watery sigh.

"Why not run?" Naruto knew the answer before she ever spoke. He had seen it a hundred times in the eyes of bandits, remorse and self-preservation at their finest, moments before he ended their lives. Fear could be just as crippling as it was a motivator.

"For the same reason I joined when they first offered. You don't defy Team Rocket and live. And the way they were looking at me…" Shaking her head, a fresh wave of tears began to stream down her face. "My death wouldn't have been a fast one."

Naruto was silent as he weighed his options. His instincts were telling him to kill her and be done with it despite knowing everything she had said to be true.

"Please," she begged. "…let me go home."

The words doused his train of thought like a bucket of ice water and carried all the sting of a slap to the face. Once more that same hue of pink flashed in his mind's eye as when he had caught sight of Nurse Joy's hair, this time accompanied by the same frightened words pleading to be spared from a coming massacre.

"Go," Naruto spat, directing his words more to his clone than the scared girl. "Hide the body, take her up top, tell the kid she's okay, and come back and clean up any bodies I leave lying around."

"Thank you," she sighed, hands resting on her knees as her sobs renewed. The blond nearly cut her down when she launched herself at him, pulling him into a hug that bordered upon suffocating. Chuckling airily, sounding very close to losing it, she wiped clumsily at her eyes and nose, hiccupping as she began to follow his clone.

"Courtney," she called, stopping at a corner his clone had already disappeared around. "My name… it's Courtney…Thank you."

Naruto nodded impatiently, waving her off as he took off further into the cave.. Following her surprisingly accurate directions, he made quick time through the labyrinth. Whenever he encountered a fork or, as had happened twice, multiple forks in the path, he would create a clone and send them in to take care of whatever lay ahead.

"Kill any rockets guarding the hostages. Don't release them until I give you the signal. Come back through and take care of any stragglers you might find. Make sure that only one of you are ever seen by the hostages at a time."

Standing still only long enough to watch as his clone was swallowed by the cave's gaping, black maw, he continued down what he knew was the last stretch of cave before he reached where they were keeping all the wild pokemon and further ahead where the Rocket Executive, Proton, kept held up by himself most of the time.

Nearing the end of the path, Naruto flashed through the handseals for the standard chameleon jutsu taught to all ROOT operatives. Blending in with his surroundings, Naruto proceeded silently forward and found himself surrounded by a sea of caged pokemon. Zubat, golbat, and even the rare crobat. There were also several geodude, gravelers, golems, and a few of the other breeds native to the cave and surrounding area. And a lone onix, all caged and in obvious discomfort as a handful of rockets in lab coats and their pokemon, strange, mechanical creatures that floated on the air and produced harsh metallic sounds, surrounded a downed geodude. Anytime the creature would attempt to get up or move, the rockets would turn a bulky, heavy duty hose on the creature, dousing it with water and enough pressure that it carried the strength of a A-ranked suiton.

The groups of pokemon were separated by evolution. All unevolved pokemon to one side of the room, and those that had evolved at least once to the other. Though none of them looked particularly well, crammed into their too small prisons, it was the evolved pokemon who looked the worst off. There was something _off_ about them, their movements were all wrong, stiff and jerky, and were unnaturally aggressive, ramming against the steel bars of their cages until they were bloody and causing themselves real harm. And still they bludgeoned themselves in a vain attempt at freedom.

"It's had enough," one of the scientist barked as he dropped the hose. With impatient waves of his hands, he motioned for one of the others to hand over a strange-looking device. Resembling a radio, there was a large cone on the side that he pointed at the hurt geodude. The sound it gave off was horrible to even his own hearing, and the surrounding pokemon, who had all gone wild at the screeches and sounds being emitted, didn't seem to like it any better. But none had it as badly as the aforementioned geodude. The stone creature squirmed and bucked in obvious agony under the assault of the strange machine until it began to give off a muted light.

Naruto looked away, unwilling to bare the transformation should the light turn blinding as it had been described in all the texts on evolution he had pursued. The screams and cries of the captured pokemon reached a fever pitch as the light about geodude began flickering out, revealing an exhausted graveler where geodude had been seconds before. Not giving it time to recover, the lead lab coat once more turned the evolution inducing machine onto the rock-type, repeating the process.

Courtney had told him they were conducting such experiments but failed to mention they had succeeded.

Naruto clutched at his chest, heart pounding frantically and his simple mission wear soaked through by a sheen of fear induced sweat. The scene, a group experimenting on a subject, a living, breathing entity that was, in their own eyes, their lesser, had taken him back to the days in which he was little more than a sharpening stone for Danzo's blades. Challenging and testing the healing and regeneration capabilities of the kyuubi's jinjuriki.

"Another successful test subject. Petrel and Ariana will be pleased," cawed the head scientist, sounding pleased for the first time. "Next is the onix. Drag its big ass out here."

"We better get Executive Proton for this one," one of the others added, casting wary, fearful glances at the stone serpent, whose cage filled an entire corner of the cave. "We'll need his help to contain it."

"No need," Naruto spoke up as one of his clones dropped from the ceiling. The clone snapped one of the men's necks as he buried a kunai in the base of another's skull. Naruto took care of the other two, throwing two kunai, one claiming the eye of the youngest scientist, all but a boy himself, the other lodging in the head rocket's voice box. His wet hacks as he struggled for breath eased the haste of his racing heart. Killing had always brought him peace.

A trio of clones landed silently behind the mechanical pokemon. Before the electric/steel-types could attempt to avenge their trainers, the chakra-based triplets crushed their steel-like bodies with a chakra enhanced blows. The oil-like substance that was their life's blood intrigued the blond, once more driving home just how alien these creatures were to those of his home lands.

The final chamber in the cavern was like all the same in the all but dried out well. The labyrinth of tunnels hollowed out by the bodies of onix and steelix eons ago, rough and uneven. Giant stalagmites hung from overhead like the jaws of some ancient, mighty beast waiting for him to strut forward, willingly offering himself unto its palate. And resting at the end of his musty, depressing rainbow was his prize.

Proton was well-built by the standards of this world. This, added with his moderate height, just eking on this side of tall, and handsome features made him the perfect leader for a smaller base like the one Naruto found himself raiding. It was also enough to go to his head.

Surrounded on all sides by damp walls, he had built himself something of an office in the deepest bowels of the cave. A handsome desk and high back chair made of the finest leather, both of which rested upon an ornate rug. The man himself set behind his desk, nursing a small cup of sake. Across from him, bound by thick ropes to a chair that was Proton's lesser, was an old, cross looking man. Though Naruto imagined he too would look less than pleasant if he were bound to a chair.

"I must really thank you, Kurt. Your contribution to our cause has been invaluable. Without your efforts, I dare say we never would have acquired enough pokemon to make our experiments a success."

The old man grunted darkly, sounding very much like he was fighting every instinct he had and forcing down a long string expletives. "You've got what you wanted from me. You'll let my granddaughter go now, correct?"

"Of course! Of course! _However_ ," Proton hummed as he downed another glass of sake. Refilling his ochoko, his wide smile became less forced, turning cruel as he slowly took another shot and getting a sadistic kick out of watching the pokeball maker squirm as he waited for him to continue. "We can't release her until we're done in this backwater town. It wouldn't do for her to go running to Bugsy or a Jenny, now would it?"

Having heard enough, Naruto cleared his throat as he stepped into the light produced by the string of gaslamps hanging from the walls. Proton shot to his feet as Kurt attempted to turn and make out who the new arrival was. Once more, Naruto would later on look back on that moment, just as he had his introduction with ekans, and realize his own mistakes.

There were no clones with him this time, not wanting to expose his abilities to Kurt, who from what he gathered was an important figure in Johto. So when the sound of heavy wheezing and a pungent, heady stench filled his head, he quickly turned on the one who had taken his back. In the same breath, meowth's pokeball clicked of its own accord, releasing the feline standing upright. As Proton shouted something that sounded like a command to the round, gaseous creature, meowth shoved her trainer with surprising strength as the entrance of the office was engulfed in an explosion.

Even on his back and halfway across the room, the concussive force of the explosion left Naruto tender from head to toe and the intensity of the flames on his exposed skin feeling raw. Kurt, who had been a bit closer, had been knocked over, chair and all, though he appeared to still be breathing, if only barely. Meowth, unfortunately, wasn't as lucky. The small cat had taken the explosion full on in his place, having been sent flying from the force and her fur left blackened and charred.

Naruto stared at her mangled form in disbelief. She had obviously known what was coming, and still she had saved him instead of remaining in her ball where she would have been safe from the blast. Even after how he had treated her. Had he been in her own situation, sitting back in relatively safety as he watched Danzo walk to his death, he wouldn't have acted. He would have set back and enjoyed the agony of the man's final moments, dedicating them to memory so he could savor them for the rest of his days.

It took only a second for him to come to himself, realizing the need to act quickly. Ignoring his body's protests, he pushed himself onto his hands and knees, fiddling numbly about his hip for her ball before every finding it and recalling her. If there were any chance of saving her it would be by keeping her in the stasis her pokeball provided and getting her to Nurse Joy as quickly as he could.

Returning her ball to its place on his hip, he shot to his feet. The initial shock from the explosion was already abating, leaving only a rage that demanded penance in its wake. From behind his beloved desk, Proton peeked out at the devastation his pokemon had created on his orders. The entrance had all but collapsed and small fires dotted throughout the rubble. More daunting still were the thick clouds of poisonous smog lingering on the air. Grinning widely at koffing's handiwork, knowing it was unlikely the intruder had survived, his relief and the accompanying smile gave way as he spotted a young blond with a few shallow cuts and a bruise or two who was glaring murder in his direction.

Proton hissed at his own overreaction. It was just a child, no real threat to him or Team Rocket's plans. And he had destroyed his office by being too quick on the draw. Reaching for his hip, he growled, "Kill this brat, weezing!" Yet before he could unclip the poison-type's ball, the blond was across the desk, his unnaturally powerful hands clasped about his throat.

"You hurt my cat," Naruto spat in his face as he slowly crushed his windpipe with his hands. "So it's only fair I introduce you to my snake." Naruto dropped him in a pile behind his gaudy desk, his hacks and strangled gasps for breath were lost to ekans' airy hiss.

"He hurt meowth," Naruto said in way of an explanation, surprised by just how upset he truly was. So much for her being just an asset. "Now you're going to do the same to him."

"W-wait!" Proton tried to plea, only to be silenced by the child's next words.

" _Wrap_." Ekans quickly ensnared the whimpering human in its long, muscled body. With every flex and shift of his scaled form, he drew new, _interesting_ sounds from the Rocket Executive. Breathing heavily into the human's face, the noxious, harmful scents wafting from its stomach causing him to choke and gag, the serpent drew his powerful tongue along his tear stained face, creating overlapping trails of toxic saliva and venom upon the rocket's deathly pale features.

The hair rising snaps and sickening pops of a spine being crushed along with countless other bones was the last sound to be made in Proton's makeshift office. Recalling an upset ekans, who was reluctant in the extreme to waste such a large meal, Naruto unbound the still unconscious pokeball maker, throwing him over his shoulder as he sprinted from the cave, pausing only long enough to use a D-rank fuuton to clear away any of koffing's remaining gases.

By the time he ascended to the concrete slab barring entry to the cave, Naruto was moving at speeds that would have drawn the wrong kind of attention. Beyond caring what the boy waiting up top saw, he threw the lid aside rather than putting on airs by slowly pushing it aside. Slipping out, he found himself facing a boy… or a girl a few years his senior. Dressed in all green, the new arrival quickly shuffled back, pushing the boy and Courtney behind him as his hand went to his belt.

"Wait!" The cry came from both Courtney and the boy, the former who grabbed the androgynous teen by the shoulder. "He's the one who saved me."

"Bugsy! Look! It's Kurt!" the boy shouted excitedly. Looking the blond over his smile slipped. "Where's Maizie?"

"The other hostages and pokemon are in the caverns." Dropping the old man none too gently, Naruto quickly brushed past the trio. He was stopped by a firm hand about his wrist. It took every ounce of self-control he possessed not to snap the offending appendage.

The one who he couldn't decide whether they were a boy or not refused to release his wrist. "What are you doing?"

"You're the gym leader of this town, right?" Earning a nod, Naruto ripped his hand free, taking care to severely sprang _Bugsy's_ wrist in the process. "Doing _your_ job! They're dead. All of them. I'll be at the Pokemon Center. You can transfer their bounties to my trainer card."

"I have to get my pokemon to Nurse Joy." Without another word or heeding their calls for him to stop, he disappeared into the woods, taking to the trees the moment he was out of sight.

 _ROOT_

Resting on the same bench as he had when waiting on Nurse Joy three days earlier, watching as Sai, his only friend from his own world, approached him was quite possibly the only occurrence that would have lured him from his perch. When the pale artist beckoned him into a deserted alcove far away from anyone else in the lobby, Naruto found himself obeying without much thought. It wasn't until he was standing next to him that he realized that things weren't as they appeared and was forced to ruthlessly smother the hope that had bloomed in his chest.

"We found a lot in the cave.," the clone wearing Sai's likeness reported, rolling his shoulders in a silent gesture that explained their loot was in the bag he sported. "A handful of TM's, evolutionary items, and pokedollars. Lots of money. Luckily for us, Team Rocket doesn't like to put their cash in banks or on their trainer cards for fear of drawing unwanted attention to themselves."

"We left all of the pokeballs the old man manufactured for them. The same with the pokemon. None of us expected you wanted them."

Naruto nodded. The balls would have to be registered to be of any use, and he didn't feel like going through the hassle of finding someone capable of doing so outside of legal means. As for the pokemon, there had been a few he would have been interested in had the situation been different. But after being forced to evolve in such an unnatural method there would undoubtedly be long term side effects. Better to let the League sort them out.

"The machine?" None of the clones he had created had yet to be popped, so he was blind to all the finer details of what had transpired and was left having to seek answers the normal way.

The clone sneered at him, disgusted. "We left it for the League to deal with." Naruto nodded approvingly. "We were going to destroy it, but figured they might be able to use it to help the effected pokemon."

"Good. Take everything you found and hide out until things die down. All the bodies down there are going to draw questions. I'll have some heat on me for a while. Be sure to make a detailed inventory of what all we made away with. Seal it all away and keep it safe."

Sai nodded, giving a smile that was _too_ natural to belong upon his features before disappearing from the center. Shaking his head, Naruto approached the counter, pinning the young girl, one of Nurse joy's aids, where she sat.

"Any news?"

His fellow blonde shook her head timidly, intimidated by the commanding aura of the younger teen. "The procedure you paid for is a lengthy one. It's actually a good sign its taking Nurse Joy as long as it is… If she were to come back too quickly it wouldn't be with good news."

When Naruto reached the Pokemon Center, it had been to find Nurse Joy tending to a sizeable line, of which Lyra and her friend were a part of. Naruto didn't wait his turn, striding past the waiting trainers, shoving aside the older boy who the rosette was speaking with. Nurse Joy's affronted look quickly disappeared at the state of him, dirty from the explosion and covered in the blood of countless rockets.

Holding out meowth's pokeball, he quickly explained, "Meowth saved me from a koffing's explosion. She needs a full heal, now!"

Far from being upset by his rudeness, the nurse was quick to take meowth's pokeball, calling for her assistants as she rushed to fill his request. Naruto watched her go until a warm, large hand landed on his shoulder. Too upset to care, he grabbed the hand, which belonged to the trainer he had pushed, and slammed him head first into the counter, knocking him out and leaving him with a broken nose.

"You!" Ethan made to grab for the blond, but was stopped by a pensive Lyra. Said lass was giving the subject of her friend's ire concerned, wary glances, shaking her head for him to stop.

"We can talk to him about the egg and the redhead later, Ethan. Right now," she once more shook her head, fear pooling in the pit of her stomach like a cold, dead weight. She wanted answers just as much as he did, more so possibly as it was her who had lost to the blond, but something told her now wasn't the time to seek those answers. "Just let him be."

"Mr. Uzumaki." Naruto was brought from his memories by his name on the lips of one he didn't recognize. Standing in the entrance of the now deserted lobby, bar Naruto and Joy's aid, stood Bugsy and a midriff barring girl who looked to be about eighteen. Easily described as stunning, there was something about the girl, an aura of authority that demanded to be heeded, that made Naruto take heed

Naruto grunted dismissively only to wince as the girl behind the counter let out a girlish squeal. "You're Karen of the Elite Four!" she babbled excitably. Quickly running around the counter, the aid gushed and fawned over the older girl. "You're umbreon is so amazing! I love watching you battle!"

"Yes, thank you," Karen replied in clipped, husky voice. If the girl noticed her irritation, she did an excellent job of not letting it faze her as she continued to pepper her with questions in-between squeals. "I realize you're a fan, but I'm going to have to ask you to pardon us for the time being. I'm here to speak with Mr. Uzumaki on official League business."

"Oh," the girl sighed, looking very much like a balloon that had just been popped.

"Is there perhaps a room we can make use of?" Bugsy injected, taking pity on the downtrodden lass.

"Oh, yes!" the girl enthused. "Right this-"

"We can use my room," Naruto cut in, leaving before either could agree or decline. Naruto could practically feel the girl contemplating accosting him for denying her the chance to help her idol by showing her to a room.

Ushering his guests into his room, Naruto followed them inside, shutting and locking the door behind them. The clone he had left to stand watch over his stuff was nowhere to be found, but the egg was where he had left it upon its throne of blankets, so didn't see cause for concern as he offered the Elite Four member and gym leader a seat.

"We'll stand, thank you." Karen eyed the mostly pink egg before turning the brunt of her attention upon the blond, who, unlike his guests, dropped onto his bed. Sliding his shoes off, he made himself comfortable, half laying half sitting up as he brought the egg to rest upon his stomach as had become habit for him. "I didn't come here to chat or make nice," Karen continued, arching a perfectly sculpted brow at his choice in position. "What were you doing down in that well?"

"As I told LeaderBugsy, and as I'm sure you no doubt know by now, doing _your_ job."

Eyebrow inching higher into her hair line at his answer and matter-of-fact tone. "Why didn't you contact the League before attempting to take on a Rocket base all on your own?"

"Succeeded in taking a Rocket base," Naruto curtly corrected before proceeding to lie through his teeth. "And I tried on more than one occasion over the three days I've been here in Azalea to reach the League's local representative. But Leader Bugsy was never at his post. I acted to save the lives he was neglecting."

"I was conducting my own investigation," Bugsy hotly contested. Before he could continue, a warning cough from his superior silenced him.

"You say _save_ lives," Karen countered. "Yet you risked your meowth's wellbeing and committed a massacre in doing so."

"No," Naruto denied, keeping his anger at her jab about meowth to a slight tensing in his jaw. "I did so by killing those who had willing joined Team Rocket and who would have done worse to me and the hostages had they been given the opportunity. I saved those people and pokemon by doing what the League should have already done, delivering justice."

Pillow-esque lips pursed unpleasantly at his barbs at the League, she demanded "How did you do it? Take on an entire Rocket hideout… with only a little help from your pokemon." Her mind had undoubtedly drifted to the remains of Proton, the telltale signs of ekans' "hand" in his downfall, and the identical slash created by a blade across the rest of the rockets' throats. "That's not possible."

"Why not? Couldn't your Elite Four colleagues do the same without their own pokemon?" Bruno, Will, and Koga, the other three members of the Johto and Kanto Elite Four. When Naruto was studying the government of this world, it was these three in particular which had been of an interest to him. All three had well-documented abilities that went beyond the realm of what was possible for humans. Bruno, the super human, whose strength, speed, and reflexes were all said to be _super_. Will the psychic, said to be as powerful in mind as the mighty psychics that made up his team. And Koga the Poison-type Master and ninja. That one had caught Naruto's attention more than the others.

In comparison, the ill-tempered beauty, Karen, was downright plain.

After much research into the matter, Naruto felt there might be a grain of truth to the theory that trainers who specialize and master a certain species of pokemon were granted boons by said mastery. Such as a water-type master being able to hold their breath for extended periods of time or a grass-type master having one hell of a green thumb. Mostly passive abilities that weren't much to brag about at first glance, but that if applied to the previously mention members of the Johto Elite Four made one take pause and consider the possibilities.

How true this was, he didn't dare speculate. For all he knew, it could all just as likely be a coincidence he was fixated on. But he wouldn't mind watching a psychic attempt to find entry into the dark-type princess' head, maybe, just maybe the dark-types that she favored in battle had passed on their immunity to psychics to her as well.

"They're different," she countered with a grimace.

"Maybe I am as well." Her scoff made Naruto smile, a dark twist of the lips that the member of the fairer sex found to be infuriating. "Once upon a time, they were all the same age as me."

Shaking his head, Naruto dropped his antagonistic smirk. "Team Rocket is dangerous, but no one, no matter how evil or well organized, lives when someone draws a blade along their jugular."

The answer, so nonplussed and frank about taking so many lives, chilled Karen and Bugsy. But not as much as what he said next.

"If I'm not mistaken, there's an outstanding bounty on Team Rocket, yes?"

Bugsy grudgingly nodded, but it was Karen who answered. "The League has given some real though to denying you this reward because of the extreme measures you took. However," she quickly added when Naruto made to object, "A… _sizable_ reward will be transferred to your trainer card."

Mollified, he asked, "Anything else?"

Bugsy looked to Karen who left without another word, leaving the door wide open.

 _ROOT_

Naruto wasn't used to feeling so out of his element. His instincts screamed at him to push her away. But as she leaned further into his touch, mewing and making approving sounds, he slowly began to relax, finding a rhythm that they both could appreciate.

The blond blinked down at his first companion who had found room in his lap for both herself and the egg, curling about said oval as she basked in the attention he was paying her sensitive ears. The rumble in her chest vibrated through him and the air, filling it with a hum that wasn't at all unpleasant to the ears.

This new development had occurred once he received her back from Nurse Joy. In the sixteen hours after Karen and Bugsy had left his room, time which included meowth's recovery period, he had plenty of time to think on how he was going to approach their next encounter. So when he got her back, he had promptly taken her up to his room and released her on his bed, much closer than he normally allowed, and apologized for everything. It was after thanking her for saving him and his explanation of how he had been trained similarly to his approach with her that she chanced rekindling his ire and climbed uninvitedly in his lap. Unsure what to do with his hands, he had taken to scratching her about the ears and beneath her chin, all too positive feedback.

Now, a few days later, finding them in this position was common place when they had a bit of free time. Which was most of the time since the incident at Slowpoke Well. Karen, who had yet to leave Azalea, had taken to following him and having others do the same whenever he ventured from the confines of his room, which in turn had cut into their training dramatically. Ekans had been attempting to learn haze in their room and was showing all the signs of succeeding, including once when he had produced enough smoke that Naruto had thought the room on fire. Meowth, when not in his lap, was practicing feint attack, vanishing for longer and longer spans of time, and needed only that next little push before she would succeed.

Naruto was lost in thoughts of what he could do to help meowth and ekans when it happened. Meowth's purring was silenced by a different kind of vibrating. The cat quickly scrambled from his lap, but by the time she was crouched over the trembling egg, fissures had threaded through most of its shell.

Naruto glanced up to find an excitement to mirror his own in her teal eyes. Now that they were on better terms, meowth's jealousy of the egg had disappeared.

Their attention was returned to the hatching as a portion of the egg buckled inwards as whatever was inside shuffled about. Doing as he had studied, he removed the fractured piece in time to watch as two more, each as large as the last, broke off from the rest. Only one fell away from the egg as the tiny creature within softly grunted and struggled for freedom. The other piece Naruto removed as well, only for the fractures to become too pronounced for the egg to sustain its former shape. The little creature, which Naruto had been carting around for over a month now, rolled clumsily from the shell's splintered remains, wet with amniotic fluids.

Unconsciously, Naruto reached out and straightened the absolutely tiny creature. What he hadn't expected was a mix of emotions unlike anything he had ever felt before to shoot through him at the contact. Genuinely startled, he quickly released the mostly pink hatchling, yet the ache in his chest continued to linger. A surge of protectiveness he had never known burned through him as it stared up at him in awed fascination.

By now, ekans had slithered out from beneath the pile of blankets at the foot of the bed where he slept most nights, as fascinated by the hatching as either meowth or their trainer.

The best— _only_ way to describe it was adorable… perhaps pink would have sufficed as well. It was the very definition of defenseless as it sat back, its slightly rounded, star-like silhouette and stubby, digitless arms and legs looking all soft and in need of protection from the big bad world left him with the foreign desire to pull it into his chest. It was covered from head to toe in short, soft, pink fur, the lone exception being its ears, which were brown. Upon its brow its fur came to a sizeable curl that matched its equally as curly tail.

It blinked up at him curiously, scrutinizing his every movement as if they were the most fascinating thing ever. Heart tightening in response, he carefully freed his dex.

" _Cleffa, the Star Shape Pokemon._ " the pokedex intoned. When the sound made cleffa flinch, Naruto hurried to lower the volume, making calming, soothing sounds that when he later reflected on the occasion would make him feel like a complete schmuck. " _Amongst the rarest pokemon in the world, it is believed to have come to earth by way of a comet. On nights with many shooting stars, if one is lucky, they may happen upon cleffa and its kind dancing in a circle beneath the moon, enraptured by the night's sky._ "

" _Cleffa knows the moves: Pound, charm, sing, sweet kiss, and mimic. Its ability is Cute Charm, which causes any who come into contact with it to become infatuated._ "

Naruto chuckled as he leaned back, the motion drawing cleffa's undivided attention and stirring the now identified warmth in his heart. Cute charm? That solved that quandary, but raised another. How was he going to handle the little one? A thin application of chakra upon his hands any time he picked it up? Gloves?

Before he could give it much thought, cleffa uncertainly rose to its feet, gaining confidence the more it maneuvered before bounding across the mattress to him in short, graceful, _gravity defying_ lopes, leaping into his arms, where Naruto was powerless to resist its want to be held… and cuddled.

Ekans and meowth watched the scene unfold with equals parts disbelief and grudging mirth. The wet, pink… _thing_ had undone the intimidating monster that was their trainer with as little as a touch. And while his attitude and behavior had indeed softened considerably in the days since the Team Rocket incident, it was still a feat to behold and envy.

 _ROOT_

"You're just a slice of perfection," Nurse Joy cooed to the star shaped hatchling. The nurse had spent the last half an hour gushing over the tiny fairy as it chirped affectionately at her attention.

With no gloves and still very much under the effects of cute charm, Naruto accepted her from the nurse. He wasn't exaggerating when he said he would have died before admitting it, but when cleffa spotted him and lit up with joy, squirming excitedly and stretching her stubby little arms up to him in want his heart nearly imploded.

"On average, about how long do the effects of cute charm last?" he asked as he bounced the fairy in his arms, unable to fight off the wide, whiskered grin that commandeered his lips.

Behind the nurse, her aids, a trio of girls between the age of sixteen and nineteen, giggled at the sight.

Shooting the trio a mild look that lost all semblance of sting thanks to the mirth playing on her own lips, she answered, "Cute charm, like attract and other such attacks, is pheromone based. Depending on the size of the target, the effects can last anywhere from a few minutes to an hour. Though it's not an exact science, so there's no way of telling for certain. You're male, so we know you're susceptible to them. You also receive a direct dose every time you pick her up or come into contact with her. However, since you're human and not a pokemon, we've no basis to tell whether they'll effect you more potently than they would a pokemon or less."

"I checked my pokedex, there wasn't any information on its effects on humans." He'd have to look into the entry on attract and see if he could discern any answers from there.

Nurse Joy gave an understanding sound, having suspected as much. "If it's a concern you have, your best bet would be to reference a breeder's guide. But if you're looking for my opinion… Cleffa can use its ability on species different than her own, then its no great leap in deduction to believe its effects would be as potent when exposed to a human as it would a pokemon, possibly more so."

Naruto couldn't fault her logic. Given that it was a hypothesis of Nurse Joy's own design, he was more inclined to believe it than he would have had it been passed on from another trainer or something he himself had thought up.

Giving a sigh that sounded more like a coo to even his own ears, Naruto asked, "Have any thread and needle I can buy?"

 _ROOT_

Cleffa possessed acute hearing. More so even than meowth's. Though he had yet to test it, her kind was said to be capable of hearing a heartbeat up to a mile away, a feat not even a shinobi could replicate to the best of his knowledge. It was for this reason, and her natural skittishness around anyone who wasn't him… _or_ Nurse Joy, that he had negotiated with her to remain in his room at the Pokemon Center under the watchful eye of one of his clones until he finished with his current business.

It was Chaz once again who was standing just inside the Azalea gym, greeting any challenger who appeared.

"Back again, huh?"

Naruto nodded curtly, unwilling to speak as the effects of cute charm had yet to fully abate from his system an hour after having said goodbye to the clingy little fairy.

"Leader Bugsy gave orders to bring you to him should you show up." As if further explanation wasn't needed, Chaz led him further into the gym than he had traveled previously. By the time they reached their destination at the heart of the gym, Bugsy was there waiting for them, standing at one end of the field in which their battle would take place.

Much to the annoyance of his guide, Naruto made his way to the opposite side of the field without prompting. As he made his way there, he spotted a familiar face in the stands surveying his every movement with unmasked suspicion. The blond couldn't find it in himself to care. His reward for his part in the rocket takedown had been transferred to his trainer card the day after their talk and, after his battle here, he would be moving on to the next city with a gym worth facing, Goldenrod. Karen or some other League lackey would follow or give up their fixation on him, though he rather doubted their was a human in this world that could track him through the wilderness.

"Responsible for the downfall of a minor Team Rocket base," Bugsy intoned as he unclipped a ball from his hip. "Yet you have no badges and, until two days ago, you had only two pokemon. You, Naruto Uzumaki, are an enigma worthy of dissection."

Translation: we—the League—have been monitoring you.

"The rules?" Naruto prodded, looking to Chaz after having thrown Bugsy a loaded look. "Or are you going to keep staling so one of the people you've had following me can _try_ to sneak into my room back at the Pokemon Center?"

"One-on-one," Bugsy supplied before Chaz could speak, unfazed by being so easily read. Motioning for the gym trainer to take his place as referee on the sideline, he released a large, blue beetle that was only a foot or so shorter than Naruto and that had a blunt, prolonged horn on its forehead. "Normally, I wouldn't use heracross in a battle with a trainer who doesn't have a _single_ badge. But let's see if you're pokemon can live up to their trainer's reputation?"

From his crisp tone alone, Naruto could tell the gym leader was still a little sore about his shots at him in front of his superior. But sending out the armored bug was the final nail. All it took was a glance at the blue insectoid's thick exoskeleton to know ekans was his only choice in this battle. Meowth, as far as she had come, would have a rough run of it going head to head with its sturdy shell of armor.

Ekans appeared in a tight coil, poised to strike lightning fast. Tongue darting out to taste the air, he thrummed his rattler, striking it against the leaf strewn field and glaring at the large bug.

"Poison sting." Ekans spat the barbs before Naruto had ever finished speaking. The shower of poisonous needles sailed through empty space before splashing harmless against the psychic shields about the field. Heracross avoided the attack easily, darting to the side and using its wings to propel itself forward in a sort of loping, high speed sprint before charging at ekans.

"Avoid any more of its barbs. Use pin missile to get in close and finish it with horn attack."

Horn taking on a brilliant white glow, streams of arrow shaped pins that carried the same shine rocketed at ekans. Not fast enough to doge them all, ekans was forced to duck into its own coils, taking a few of the pins along its scaled hide, but was otherwise unharmed.

"Keep it away with iron tail." Ekans threw its long body around, giving its shinning tail further momentum as it swung it about wildly to keep the charging beetle at bay, but to no avail. Using its speed and herculean strength, heracross tackled and lifted the serpent with it its mighty horn, sending it flying across the field. Ekans landed with a pained hiss at the edges of the field as heracross, on the orders of its trainer, once more charged.

"Poison sting," Naruto repeated. Firing its pins, missing as it had to dodge ekans' return fire, it rapidly closed the distance between them at reckless speeds. "Hit it!"

Cast in a silvery light, ekans swung its tail, this time connecting with its offending horn. It was heracross' turn to now be sent crashing, only just tucking its delicate wings into its harden shell as it skipped across the field like a stone upon a lake. Before it could right itself, Naruto called out to ekans, "Poison sting! Catch it."

Firing poison sting repeatedly at the downed beetle, ekans slithered forward as its attack bounced harmlessly off its thick shell.

"Keep it from moving!" Getting the message, ekans' eyes took on a sinister red that Naruto knew too well. Heracross froze as it fought with its rounded body, struggling to upright itself. The beetle was powerless to move as ekans closed the last of the space between them, encompassing him with his muscled body and began to squeeze.

"Iron tail," Naruto ordered around his knowing smirk.

Transfixed by its enemy's glowing gaze, heracross was powerless to struggle against the serpent's tightening hold or even produce a sound of protest. Facing no resistance, ekans brought its shinning limb to bare upon the beetle's domed skull. It was upon the third strike that the reptile found its coils empty, its prey freed from his terrible grasp by way of a crimson light.

"Leader Bugsy forfeits the match! Challenger Uzumaki is the winner!"

By the time Naruto had congratulated ekans for a job well done and recalled him, Bugsy had made his way across the field.

"Congratulations." Though his praise lacked any warmth that made him believe the sentiment was genuine, at the very least it appeared as if whatever grudge he'd been holding onto had faded with the conclusion of the battle. "Here's your prize. The Hive Badge. You've earned it."

AN: I have to admit to being disappointed by the lack of response to this story. I went into it pumped. I believed it to be a genuinely good, well written story. But damn there's barely any love for this. But to those of you who have enjoyed it and that have reviewed, thank you.

For anyone wondering, no, there's no four move limit and I'm basing the TM's they can learn on those they could learn from all the generations. For example, in gen one meowth could learn bubble beam, but as recent as the making of X and Y it can't learn it anymore. Thus in my story, meowth can still learn it.

And finally, as some of you might know, English is not my first language. I'm mostly self-taught. So any help on the beta front would be much appreciated.


	4. Late Night Mischief

Title: ROOT

Summary: Fate doesn't just intervene for those who are pure of heart. Naruto, a ROOT operative, wakes the morning after completing the most heinous mission of his career in a place where creatures as deadly as shinobi stalk the lands and chakra is beyond the common man. But when returning home proves impossible, will the cold-hearted blond embrace this new chance or revert to his old ways?

Rating: Heavy T, Eventual M

Pairing: Naruto / May. Literally half of you voted for her. I don't know if I'll add anyone else. I doubt it, but if I do, there will likely be only ONE other. I'm juggling the idea of either Leaf or the female protagonist from Sun/Moon. But like I said nothing is set. Feel free to comment on the subject.

Inspiration: "The Traveler" by The Straight Elf. By far the best Pokemon fic I've ever read. Thankfully he's been so kind as to lend his support and invaluable advice for this story, and has given his permission for me to draw ideas from his work. I can't stress it enough, if you've never read it, do yourself a favor and go bask in its greatness

AN: I want to stress that Naruto isn't going to suddenly be the nicest guy in the world. There's a interaction at the start of the chapter with another trainer that might lead you to believing as much. Yes, he's being nicer to his pokemon, Meowth saved him and Cleffa just has that effect on him, and he may even be cordial to strangers, but there's still a dickhead just a waiting to rear his head.

As for Naruto's combat ability, I want to be clear, in a battle with a champion's pokemon he wouldn't come out unscathed. In the first chapter when comparing shinobi to pokemon, it was from Naruto's point of view of the world. In his mind, ninja will always be superior… until he learns better. And depending on what champion level pokemon he was facing, such as Lance's Dragonite or Steven's Metagross, he'd likely get his ass handed to him. He's a ROOT trained badass, especially by the pokemon world's standards, but he's less than nothing compared to what Naruto and Sasuke were at the end of canon.

Also, a huge thank you to all those who reviewed. That lame, repeated to death saying that reviews are the fuel of a fanfiction writer is all too true. But more than that, there were some that helped me pick up my metaphorical pen again. Thanks guys and gals. It's much appreciated.

Chapter four: Late Night Mischief

Ilex forest was as close to returning home as Naruto suspected he would ever come. The trees were ancient giants that blotted out both sun and sky, casting the world beneath their mighty canopies in perpetual twilight.

It was here, in a land of false night, that Naruto hummed as his fellow poison-type trainer, Jim, explained to him what he had already suspected.

"Their venom has to mature before Ekans can use Acid. I wouldn't even attempt to teach him something like Belch or Gunk Shot until after he's been an Arbok for a while. Though from what I can tell of your Ekans, he's an excellent example of his species. Give him a bit more time and he should have no problem learning Acid. Try teaching him a move or two before you try again."

Naruto nodded, committing the teen's expertise to memory. From their brief introduction, he had learned that Jim had grown up alongside his own Arbok, raising it from the time it was a Ekans, and that the poison-type was somewhat of a familial tradition. His grandmother had one when she was young and still a trainer, as had her daughter and the man she would come to marry. So it was only natural that he would continue the cycle.

"My Arbok is a little too experienced for your Ekans. A battle between them wouldn't really be fair. But what about your other pokemon?" His eyes drifted to the fairy in his… pouch. "Maybe something a bit older than your Cleffa."

Making her discontent known anytime he put the young one down or attempted to return her to her ball, Naruto had finally come up with a solution to his problems that didn't involve a copy of himself holding the hatchling at all times. One stolen hoodie and some borrowed needle and thread later and Naruto had designed…something. Cleffa was quite pleased with the admittedly crudely crafted carrier he made for her from the tattered, burnt-orange hoodie. Inspired by a mother and child Kangaskhan, Cleffa, head poking out from the pouch, could both be close to him at all times and see the world while Naruto's hands were freed up.

That he was no longer under the effects of Cute Charm was well worth a bit of pointing and not so hushed comments his getup earned.

It was like this, with Cleffa on his front and Ekans slinking along at his side, that Naruto stumbled upon the knowledgeable trainer. It had taken a bit of encouragement on his part, but he had finally convinced the timid little fairy after half an hour of conversation to poke her head out from her pouch while the stranger was near.

"I only have one other pokemon. My starter," Naruto admitted as he covered Cleffa's sensitive ears—hand producing a layer of chakra that protected him from her ability—and gave a high-pitched whistle. Meowth had been traveling off the path a ways from the group, slinking about from tree to tree, terrorizing the local wildlife.

A moment later the feline portion of his team bounded into the clearing as if hell itself were on her tail. The Arbok trainer nodded as he unclipped a pokeball from his hip.

"Better be my Smoky then."

Meowth's gaze remained trained on Vulpix—and the fire-type's on her—after it appeared in a flash of blue light. The kit was cute, with enchanting cinnamon eyes and half a dozen perfectly groomed tails that begged to be touched and admired. Yet all Naruto could see was a chibified-version of the Kyuubi.

Standing on the edge of the clearing, Jim gave an encouraging nod. "Since I'm the challenger, why don't you go first?"

Naruto nodded. "Screech, Pay Day, then Feint Attack, finish it with Fury Swipes."

Meowth tensed, a predatory smirk playing on her lips as she charged. Giving a terrible howl that left Vulpix reeling, it never saw Pay Day coming or when Meowth vanished in a swirl of shadowy energy. But it was painfully aware of when she reappeared, slamming into her side before finishing the combo they had been working on and using Fury Swipes on the downed and overwhelmed fire-type.

Though Ilex Forest did have its fair share of trainers lurking in her depths, much of the time since Meowth had learned Feint Attack, which turned the user invisible for a short period—just long enough for her to use her speed to take her opponent unawares—had been spent coming up with strategies that utilized her newest move. Including the one they had just utilized.

A quick, hard hitting start that overwhelmed the opponent. The results of which showed for themselves.

"All right! All right," the older trainer groaned as he recalled Vulpix. Shaking his head, bemused, he clipped the fox's ball to his hip as he asked "How long have you been a trainer? That Meowth is one nasty piece of work."

"Almost two months," the blond answered with a shrug. "You?"

"A little over a year," the almost seventeen-year-old admitted sheepishly. "How's it so strong? Vulpix was the first pokemon Arbok and I ever caught."

Naruto shrugged, thinking better of answering with a blunt "training all my pokemon, not just one." He didn't want to offend the one who had been more than happy to impart some of his limited expertise.

Cleffa was proving to be a bad influence on him.

With a shake of his head, Naruto gathered up Ekans, who was hissing away with his larger kinfolk, as he threw a "thanks for the battle!" over his shoulder. The battle had been a letdown as most had been within the confines of the dense forest. There were no challenges to be found in these woods, as majestic as they were. But that was to be expected. Azalea and Violet city were a testing grounds of sorts for new trainers and those who, like his last battle, had never really taken off.

It was a pity really. The guy's Arbok had been something impressive, having almost been three times as long as Ekans, but Vulpix's training had been grossly neglected. Especially if he had had her for close to a year. The Vulpix line was supposed to be frighteningly powerful fire-types. But that was what happened when you focused solely on one pokemon; the rest of your team suffered.

"Hey," Jim called, jogging to catch up with him. "You're headed to Goldenrod, right?"

"Yeah."

"A day or so after you're free of Ilex, you'll encounter a huge cave. As tempting as it might be to go exploring for pokemon, don't. It's called Onix Tunnel. I'm sure you can guess why. It's all that lives inside and they're unnaturally aggressive in there. Unless you want to try and catch one, I'd steer clear of it. It's a death trap in there."

 _ROOT_

Naruto nodded to himself as he came to a final decision. Resting upon the lip of the cave, the blond pushed off the edge and dropped deftly to the ground before making the short walk from Onix Tunnel to where he had set up camp for the night. He wouldn't be catching an Onix, as tempting of a prospect as it was.

While not the most powerful of pokemon, their raw strength and size, unparalleled by all save a select few giants, made them a threat to any opponent. Their evolution, Steelix, even more so. And he wouldn't even need to concern himself with feeding the pokemon as they fed upon rocks and minerals found deep in the earth.

But as a relatively new trainer it would be more of a hindrance to take on one of the stone serpents now. Rock and ground types in general needed a firm hand as the hardy critters tended to be either a bit doltish—or outright dumb—and brutish, in need of constant reminders that the puny human who had captured them was in charge.

Of course, this wasn't true for all rock and ground type pokemon, but just a broad generalization he had come up with from his own limited interactions with the creatures and the trainers who called them their own. Some just didn't recognize the strength afforded to them by their typing and sturdy bodies.

It was too the sight of Ekans curled up by the fire that Naruto returned to camp. Meowth was slinking about in the halo of light, darting from shadow to shadow, chasing and playing with a happily chirring Cleffa. Naruto eyed the badge he had won from Bugsy where it lay upon the ground forgotten by Meowth, if only for the moment.

In the time since receiving her from Professor Elm, he had seen firsthand Meowth's love of all things shiny. Yet once she laid eyes upon the expertly crafted trinket, she had instantly been infatuated. At first, he had been under the impression that he had lost it, but hadn't been too concerned as his trainer card was more than enough to prove he had earned a win from the Azalea Gym. It wasn't until the next morning that he learned the truth, having found her up in a tree admiring its beauty and the way the early morning sun reflected off its surface.

Crouching against the tree his sleeping bag was propped against, he pulled out the scroll where Sai, his clone, had sealed everything they had looted from the Rocket compound. There had been an abundance of potions, antidotes, and paralyze-heals, a handful of evolutionary items, including a rare King's Rock, more money than he had ever seen in his too short life, and finally a number of TM's. There were quite a few of the more common ones that were quite easy to come by, such as Toxic, Rain Dance, and Attract. And some of them were useless to him like Self-destruct, Sky Attack, and Teleport. But amongst them were a few that he could use on his current lineup, barring Cleffa.

The tiny fae had yet to take part in an official battle. And while that day was drawing closer with each passing mile they traveled, he wanted her to earn some experience and learn a few techniques naturally before he made use of one of the technique machines.

He had narrowed his options down to two each for Meowth and Ekans. Dark Pulse and Shadow Claw for the former and Dig and Poison Jab for the latter. Instead of spamming TM's like most trainers in his situation would, he wanted to give them each the time to truly master whatever technique they learned, so planned only to teach them each one attack for the time being.

While he wouldn't call Meowth a taijutsu specialist, she was certainly the type to get in close during battle, using her speed and sharp claws to deadly efficiency. Were they facing anyone but Whitney next, he very well would have given her Shadow Claw. But since normal-types were immune to ghost-type attacks, he had decided to go with Dark Pulse instead. Not only would it come in handy in their coming gym battle, but would give her another ranged attack. As effective as she was with Pay Day, there were a number of opponents they had faced who could just shrug it off.

Ekans on the other hand had been more of a no brainer. The snake was effective in battle, albeit a bit easy to rile up. Naruto wasn't sure who would win in a match between the two, Meowth or the reptile. And while either Poison Jab or Dig would be a welcomed addition to his move pool, Dig was the clear winner.

Between Iron Tail, Wrap, Glare, and his natural venoms, not to mention his impressive striking speed, Ekans was a threat to any opponent that dared approach. A mistake many a cocky, unexpecting trainers made thanks to how "common" of a breed Ekans were. But when it came to chasing down opponents or being evasive, he needed all the help he could get, which was why he had been content to let him focus upon learning Haze, hoping it could supplement his lack of speed. Dig, while also a decent attack, would grant the snake the mobility it severely lacked.

Naruto was stirred from his musings by a now familiar weight in his lap. As had become habit, he found his hand running the length of Meowth's spine, quietly smothering the reflex to push her away as he regarded the feline with a questioning gaze. Meowth wore a self-satisfied look as she snuggled into his lap, a gentle hum vibrating in her narrow chest. His question was answered as he heard the angry, growl-like trilling from the newest member of his team. As if such things as gravity were no match for the cuteness of the tiny fae, Cleffa bounced forward on hops that seemed to carry her forward on a gentle breeze, her cherubic features twisted in displeasure as she glared at the Meowth who had dared lay claim to her spot.

With a knowing sigh that carried just a touch of humor, Naruto channeled a bit of chakra into his ears in such a way that it caused his head to fill with a sound akin to rushing water.

"Sing," he ordered. For good measure, he covered his ears with his hands. Meowth had only enough time to realize he had stopped his ministrations before her sensitive hearing picked up the beginning of Cleffa's haunting melody. Tensing, the feline made to flee, but found the strength to stand slowly draining from her limbs as her eyelids grew cumbersome with the ache of sleep.

The normal-type never stood a chance. Naruto held the pouch on his front open as the fairy leaped over its slumbering senior and inside. The blond shook his head at the two, amused by their bickering and at a loss as to how his life had come to this, playing mediator for a hatchling and a prideful cat.

 _ROOT_

"We can't have anybody falling asleep or getting distracted by Sing or Charm. So you're going to go with a clone and practice." Naruto handed Cleffa off to his clone, who disappeared in a telltale swirl of leaves as the original turned and addressed Meowth and Ekans.

"This is what's known as a TM," he explained as he held up the device carrying the knowledge of dig, the tiny disk reflecting the sun in a way he knew would be distracting to Meowth. The feline kneaded her paws in anticipation as she stared intently at the disk before he hid it out of sight and reclaimed her attention. "With one of these, I'll be teaching you both a new technique. But first I'll have to recall you."

Back in their balls, Naruto fitted the belt like device he had stolen from Team Rocket about Meowth's ball, sliding the disk into the small, buckle-like slot where the TM went and pressing down. The belt gave a faint 'whirring' as the ball glowed with a white light. As the hum slowly died and the light faded, the ball gave a brief shudder before going completely still. After repeating the process a second time with Ekans, he released the two once more.

"You think you have a firm grasp of your new movies?" Ekans was the first to nod, with Meowth slower to do so, but eventually she too appeared confident. "Good. You have the next thirty minutes to grow accustomed to them. Then you battle each other."

The two looked momentarily surprised until the blond gave them a pointed look as if to say time's ticking that sent them into motion. Ekans hesitated for only a second before diving snout first for the ground. Naruto half expected the snake to hurt itself trying to burrow underground, yet was pleasantly surprised when he found no resistance. The purple serpent pushed into the craggy, hard earth as one might the surface of a lake.

Meowth on the other hand made for the distant woods. Instead of seeking seclusion in their depths, she turned her sights upon a single tree at the forest's edge, her features twisted into a rictus of resolve. For a heartbeat, it looked as if she were yawning, maw stretched wide and exposing twin canines, but a flicker of dark energies within quickly dismissed the thought. The sphere was a dense black with hues of turbulent purple swirling within, rapidly expanding to fill her mouth whole before a beam of what could best be described as purple circles exploded forward. A group of frightened Pidgey fled to the skies as their roost was struck dead center by the attack, leaving the tree lurching and giving a great, booming groan of wood under the assault.

Naruto was intent to watch the tree eventually come tumbling down, but found his attention drawn to the unmistakable sound of displaced earth. A glance over his shoulder showed Ekans surfacing, his domed skull gleaming in the mid-morning light before submerging once more.

It was like this, watching as the two tested their new attacks and contemplating interesting combinations they could be used for, that he passed the half an hour. Once their time was up, he called them over and began to explain what they would be doing next.

"You won't be straight out battling one another today. Though eventually your training will lead to sparring. What I have in mind is a game of tag. Meowth, you'll be attempting to avoid Ekans and trying to hit him with Dark Pulse. Hitting a sitting target is one thing, but in battle it will be rare for an opponent to be unmoving or for them to allow you to stop and take aim."

Turning to Ekans, he continued. "The same goes for you. You'll be attempting to avoid Meowth's attack and trying to tag her using Dig. To keep things even, you can only stay underground for ten second intervals and neither of you can use other attacks. Were this a real battle, staying underground and waiting for a chance to strike would be the smart move when dealing with an opponent with superior speed. But this exercise is meant to expand on your speed and evasiveness. Understood?"

Meowth gave a small incline of the head, keeping the serpent in the corner of her eye as if he might strike at any second. Ekans was more animated, bobbing his head eagerly at the prospect of the coming challenge. It would be the first time since capturing the purple reptile that the two had come this close to pitting their strength against one another.

"Good. Go!"

Instantly, Meowth turned on Ekans, only to jump away as the snake disappeared, slithering into the earth. Eyeing the ground, the normal-type began to move about, never pausing, prepared for an attack that could strike from any direction.

Just as Naruto hit ten in his head, Ekans' head broke the surface a foot away from Meowth's unguarded back, only to push back into the earth before the rest of his long body could reach topside, barely avoiding a startled Meowth's knee-jerk attack.

With an approving nod, Naruto discreetly created a bunshin to stand watch over the two as he quickly disappeared into the woods. It was time for a little training of his own.

 _ROOT_

In the most basic of terms, Goldenrod City was huge. The metropolis sat on the edge of a harbor, right by the sea. As one would expect of such a large settlement, it boasted many attractions, such as the region's premier shopping center, a monorail that ran all the way to Kanto, a place of gambling called the Game Corner, a Contest Hall, and the reason for his own journey here, the Goldenrod Gym.

Just upon the outskirts of the city itself were a number of quaint homes. This community was just far enough away from the hustle of city life that they were an island all to their own. One such home Naruto passed as he journeyed into the city doubled as a pokemon daycare center. In a pin around the property, pokemon as young as Cleffa could be seen playing and napping.

Naruto was just relieved she was tuckered out from training and playing with a clone all day and was asleep in her pouch. He didn't fancy telling her they couldn't stop and play.

Keeping pace with him, Meowth strutted along, sharp teal eyes catching everything. Passersby, the fleeting spotlights of speeding cars, the sounds synonymous with so many lives stacked on top of one another; the feline was right at home in the city. Certainly more so than she was roughing it in the wilderness for weeks at a time.

Not for the first time since leaving Azalea, Naruto took in the sight of his starter. The changes were subtle in nature, yet the blond could tell evolution, while not near per se, was in the normal-type's future. A slight lengthening of her limbs and tail, more power behind her attacks, and a touch of aggression that normally only appeared during battle, the last of which was apparent when she hissed at a group of passing teenage girls who thought it wise to crowd her and coo appreciatively.

Though she was showing all the indicators that evolution was on the horizon, the same was true for Ekans. In the past month alone, he had grown almost a foot, taking him from his former length of five feet to a much more impressive six. His round, muscled form was growing thicker and more powerful by the day, his fangs lengthening and venom growing more potent. And just the day before, he had learned Haze and was already making admirable progress on Mud Bomb. Naruto was even considering attempting to teach him Acid again.

Having trekked halfway across Goldenrod it was near midnight, the scent of the harbor's salty spray thick in the cool air, when he finally found a Pokemon Center with rooms available. As had become tradition in Azalea, the first thing he did upon entering his room was push aside the blackout curtains and wrench open the window. The moon above illuminated the single trainer room, giving just enough light for him to stow away his belongings and prepare for bed.

Releasing Ekans onto the foot of the bed, the reptile immediately curled up into a tight coil as Meowth made for the window, hoping onto the seal to play sentry and observe as Goldenrod's active nightlife passed bellow. Taking great care not to wake her, Naruto withdrew Cleffa from her pouch and placed her on his pillow.

Much like Meowth, Cleffa and its evolutionary line were nocturnal in nature. Which made getting the fairy to sleep at night a challenge. He had done so by gradually weaning her from her regular daytime naps and slowly increasing the difficulty of her training. It was a work in progress and one he wasn't entirely sure he was succeeding with. But for the moment, she was sleeping. And he might literally kill anything that woke her up.

With steps as silent as a shadow, he crept into bed with a whisper over his shoulder to Meowth and his bunshin to warn him should anything happen.

 _ROOT_

Said warning came a few short hours later. He was nudged awake none too gently, and his shadow clone pointed him towards the window.

"Cleffa's gone," it offered dumbly, as if it were commenting on the weather.

"What?" Naruto snapped, shooting to his feet and stowing away the kunai that had found its way into his grasp. Ekans and Meowth were both startled awake by his volume, the latter who appeared to have fallen asleep in a random spot in the middle of the floor. "What happened?"

The clone gave him an affronted look, displeased by his sharp tone. "She woke up, so Meowth and I tried to keep her entertained. But she wanted to go outside. We told her no and she used Sing on us," it explained, giving him a dirty look that said this was entirely his fault.

Naruto winced. Recalling both Ekans and Meowth and dispersing the clone with a flick to the chin, he scrambled out the window. The buildings in the surrounding area were lower here near the harbor than the rest of the city, making it possible for him to travel by roof top. Eventually, as Cleffa's trail became more difficult to follow, he was reduced to calling on Meowth and her sensitive sense of smell for help.

With her in his arms, they hopped from roof to roof, drawing steadily closer to docks. When he could make out the names on the giant ships in the port, he assumed they were drawing close, but it was then that her scent abruptly shifted to run perpendicular with the docks. With the crash of waves against the breakers and the patter of his hurried stride against the docks playing in their ears, trainer and normal-type found themselves leaving the port and traversing a moonlit beach.

"There she is," Naruto grunted as he slowed to a jog. Setting Meowth down at his side and releasing chakra from the bottoms of his feet, cool, damp sand began to filter between his toes as he took his time approaching the fairy-type.

Cleffa stood just upon the water's edge, a musical tilt to her chirping as she bounced about in circles, basking in the moon's brilliance. Not for the first time, the thought that there was something… magical about the little creature took him.

Before he could voice his arrival, a light off in the distance garnered his attention. Unable to make out the source, he recalled Meowth and released Ekans into the shallows. The snake was just as at home in water as he was on land as he was on land and had no trouble traversing the choppy waves lapping at the shore's edge.

Cleffa made a sound of surprise at the flash of a pokeball. Not that he believed she had just noticed his approach as she launched herself into his arms, overjoyed to see him. Hearing as acute as hers was, she likely heard him before he ever saw her.

Perhaps it was him who was being a bad influence on her?

"What has you out here so late?" he dryly inquired. Stepping onto the surface of the water, Cleffa began to wiggle excitedly in his hold, waving her stubby arms in the direction of the far-off lights.

"You up for a swim?" he asked Ekans as he made for the cause of Cleffa's late-night wanderings. In answer, the serpent took off ahead of them, pushing through the water as if he had been born at the bottom of the sea.

Naruto had trekked more than a mile from shore before he could identify the source of the light show. Upon seeing those responsible, his first thoughts were of shuriken. There were more than a dozen resting upon the surface of the water, most had five points, but there was one a different color from the rest, whose points topped out at a total of ten. Despite the discrepancy in points, both types had a sort of gem in their center that was the cause of the illumination.

In his arms, Cleffa once more began to squirm, wanting to get closer to the strange sea star-like pokemon. Yet before he could bring her closer, the alien pokemon took note of his and Ekans' presence. Naruto nearly jumped out of his sandals as the creatures gave startled, skull-rattling shouts before sinking back beneath the surface of the waves, returning to their home at the bottom of the sea.

All save one.

The golden-brown, five pointed sea star had a round, crimson jewel that flickered varying, vibrant colors, but most frequently a sinister red. Thankful it was in his pants when he had slid them on, Naruto directed his pokedex at the pokemon he had yet to encounter.

"Staryu, the Star Shape Pokemon," his dex droned. "At night, the center of its body slowly flickers with the same rhythm as a human heartbeat. As long as the center section is intact, it can regrow entire severed limbs."

"A water-type that eventually becomes a dual-type psychic," Naruto nodded as he reviewed the data. Looking to Cleffa, he arched an eyebrow. "Should we catch it?"

Cleffa was too fascinated with the sea dweller to give her opinion, though that was an answer in and of itself he supposed. Yet the decision was taken out of his hands when the sea star launched itself from the water and straight at him. It was reflex that saw the nonplussed blond catching the living, breathing shuriken with his free hand. He never could have predicted the amount of force the water-type had launched itself with, nor that it would send him and a happily chattering Cleffa skidding across the water.

Despite being taken by surprise, Naruto managed to remain upright and on his feet. Until, that was, one of Staryu's points, the closest to his unguarded face, unleashed a torrent of high pressure water. Sputtering and cursing, Naruto lost his hold on Cleffa as he was sent tumbling into the water. By the time he had pushed himself back to the surface, a only slightly wet Cleffa was perched on Ekans' head and the offending water-type was a ways off, once more resting serenely atop the water.

"Now it's personal," Naruto grunted, face feeling as if a layer of skin had been sheared off by the force of the spray. Ekans hissed longingly as he took the fairy from his head. "Focus. Cleffa wants Staryu. You want to make her happy? Help me capture it. I want to see how you fare against it."

Ekans' tail slapped the surface as it turned its sights upon the water-type. Without prompting, he shot a mouthful of glowing, poison barbs at the sea star. Giving the same high pitched screech as the barbs exploded upon its hardened hide, Staryu shot forward, halfway out of the water like a buzzsaw, a shimmering light illuminating its form as it used Harden.

"Damn, it's fast," the blonde mused to Cleffa, wanting it more the longer he watched it battle. "Maybe even faster than Meowth."

Ekans' tail took on a silver sheen as he prepared to bat the offending water-type from the air, only for each of Staryu's points to shoot a highly accurate Water Gun. Ekans was sent thrashing beneath the surface as Naruto barely avoided a second dousing. Staryu didn't waste time observing its handy work, disappearing underwater. Naruto could only watch as the star, its devastating speed unhindered by being under the waves, struck the poison-type again and again, never from the same direction but always with the same bone rattling power. Ekans might have been at home in water, but he was no match for a water-type in their natural element.

The blond recalled the serpent once it became clear Staryu was toying with him. Appearing behind the snake, who had yet to surface after more than a minute of being submerged and who had no clue where his opponent was, Staryu's gem pulsed a hypnotic blue, producing rings of psionic energy that left the poison-type a withering mess and swallowing more sea-water than was healthy before the crimson light of his pokeball saved him.

Conjuring a clone, Naruto handed Cleffa off, ordering them to get back as he cycled through the rat, dog and ox handseals. He couldn't reach Staryu underwater with his own element of choice without risking causing the pokemon some real harm. Finishing the cycle of handseals he had learned from a Kiri hunter-nin he had had a nasty run in with, he laid his hand flat upon the water before reaching into its depths and pulling. The water-whip had become something of a personal favorite of the blond's thanks to its versatility.

With a light application of chakra and a little control that was more difficult for him than it would be for someone with less chakra, the water construct reached beneath the depths and entangled Staryu's star-shaped form. With a sharp tug, he ripped his catch from the water, channeling Raiton-natured chakra into the whip and earning a screech of pain as he launched the water-type into the air.

Naruto's hand brushed against one of the spare balls on his hip as he watched Staryu play at being a falling star, its gem flickering in panic. Yet before he could attempt the catch, its' gem gave a longer, brighter glow than previously, a shine of power that extended to the rest of its five-pointed body.

The blond's eyes narrowed in suspicion. It might have been his imagination, though it was hard to decipher with how alien its form was from anything he knew, yet he couldn't escape the inkling that it had just healed some of the damage he had done.

Sighing, he lashed out with the whip, catching it about the center just before it hit the water, sending its flat form skipping across the water like a giant skipping stone. Disappearing in a shunshin, he appeared in its path, whip gone and fingers running through another jutsu. Once more he made to catch the star, but this time it was with a hand filled with a beach ball sized orb of lightning, a gift from a Kumo-nin by the name of Omoi.

Naruto actually winced at the creature's scream as its body was flooded with its crackling, unforgiving weakness. He might not understand much about it, but pain was a universal language. Not wasting any time, he tossed the ball, catching the water-type with a final sounding click and nary a shake of the orb.

 _ROOT_

Naruto exited the obscure little book shop and made for the same direction as he had the night before in his search for his young ward. After questioning the Nurse Joy who had tended to Ekans and Staryu, she had recommended the quaint shop for his needs. The guide on homemade elixirs and remedies he found inside was exactly what he had been searching for.

While browsing their limited selection, he had also found a tattered, hand-written book on poison-types and their venoms. All it had taken was for him to glance over the section on milking an Ekans' poison sacks and the theoretical guide on how to go about attaining an immunity to said poisons through a lengthy and rather painful process and he had snatched it up without a second thought.

With plans to crush some of the berries and plants he collected into a paste once he returned to his room, he stowed away his book, releasing his team onto the same stretch of beach as they had visited the night before, save for Staryu and Cleffa, the latter of which he was punishing with time in her ball.

He would willingly admit to being responsible for her habit of putting anyone who annoyed her into a slumber, but he couldn't allow her behavior, as fruitful as it had proven, to go unpunished.

It had taken time to sink in, and Meowth's hand in saving him from Proton's Koffing, for him to realize that as effective as Danzo's methods were, they were inherently flawed. None knew this more than himself, who had suffered through them and then proceeded to inflict them upon others. And though it was difficult to break from tradition, his original impulses on how to punish Cleffa would have been horrifying to even voice aloud, he thought that putting the mischievous fairy in her ball was a good starting point. She hated being put away, missing out on all the new and exciting things happening without her. Hopefully it would dissuade her from running off again. And putting others to sleep.

Noting Ekans' standoffish behavior, a thoroughly out of his element Naruto crouched next to the serpent in the sand. He pretended not to notice the way the reptile flinched, as if a loss would signal a reappearance of the sort of behavior he had first come to know him by.

"You did good last night," he assured the poison-type, only to earn an annoyed, heated hiss. The blond didn't flinch or back, but rested an uncertain hand on his scaled head in a way he hoped was comforting. "You saved Cleffa and battled a tough opponent in their habitat. Meowth couldn't have battled it out in the ocean like that. I'm sure things would have been different were you to battle it again on land."

By the time he finished, Ekans was hesitantly pressing his head into his palm, seeking his touch and, in Naruto's opinion, looking reassured. Meowth sat silently by, watching the interaction with curious eyes, but without interrupting. Whatever was going on was important and it wouldn't do to intervene.

Standing, Naruto looked to them both. "Last night we captured another team mate," he revealed, earning a look of surprise from Meowth and a moody hiss from Ekans. "I figured it would be best if we were all here to meet them as one the first time."

Releasing Cleffa, who gave a wail of relief at being released, she launched herself into his chest, snuggling as closely as she could get. Careful of brushing against her fur, the last thing he need was to get distracted, Naruto greeted the affectionate fairy as he released Staryu, putting distance between it and them, but being sure to keep between it and the water.

Instantly Cleffa did an about face, wiggling excitedly in his arms at the sight of water-type. Cleffa gave a tinkling trill before Naruto could introduce himself and the rest of the team. He was surprised when it gave a loud cry, its gem glowing warmly as if returning the fairy's greeting.

Naruto stood by for a short time, watching the two interact as if they were old friends. Eventually he cleared his throat, drawing the faceless creature's attention to himself, Meowth, and Ekans.

Sure that it wasn't going to abruptly to turn, the blond crouched low as he spoke. "I'm Naruto. We met last night," he grunted, disgruntled by the lack of facial features. It was hard to speak with someone without a face to read and observe.

Staryu shuddered at the reminder of the night before, giving its pitched cry that Naruto now realized was normal for the species.

"I captured you because I think you could strengthen the team as a whole. I want to make you strong." Staryu seemed to perk up at the idea of growing strong, its gem flashing in a way he assumed was positive and bobbing its top point in a nod.

"This pokemon knows the moves: Water Gun, Psywave, Harden, Rapid Spin, Minimize, and Recover." Naruto nodded, listening intently to the pokedex's droning. Closing it with an audible click, he looked inquisitively to the newest member of his team as he stored it away in his back pocket. "Minimize, huh?"

 _ROOT_

On the outside, the Goldenrod Gym was little more than a glorified warehouse. On the inside, however, things were startlingly different. Had he not studied up on the gym and its leader beforehand, his first impression would have been that he had stepped into a grass-type gym.

Everywhere the eye could see were flowers, all of differing hues and extravagance. The only thing more prevalent than the impressive showing of flora were the scattering of "cute" pokemon ambling about and attractive teenage girls tending to both the former and the latter.

"Hello," greeted one of the girls, a blonde a handful of years his senior who turned a dazzling smile upon him. "Welcome to the Goldenrod Gym."

Naruto nodded, looking anywhere but at the pretty face. Give him a target and he could kill it. Order him to acquire impossible to get information, it was already done. But put him in front of a pretty girl with no mission in mind and he was out of his element. It was the same with even normal people to a lesser degree, but for reasons that he would rather not address, the fairer sex was somehow worse for the blond. ROOT didn't exactly leave one with the best people skills.

Don't even get him started on their version of the "talk."

"Oh," the girl abruptly paused in her introduction upon seeing Cleffa, who, as per usual, ducked into her pouch at the attention of others. "Your Cleffa is adorable. It's as cute as Leader Whitney's Clefable!"

"Thanks," Naruto nodded stiffly, patting the fairy reassuringly on her pink head. "I'm here to challenge her, Whitney, for the Plain Badge."

The blonde shook her head apologetically, her ponytail swaying distractingly from the motion. "I'm sorry. She's busy today. Visiting with some friends from afar. You'll have to come back tomorrow. But if you'd like, there are trainers here who are more than willing to accept challengers."

Naruto nodded, his hand going to his hip. A battle, now that he could get behind.

"Mind battling me?" Naruto shook his head firmly, growing used to the attention of the older girl. "Good. Come with me."

Without further comment, she led him to a field in the center of the Gym. Naruto already knew who he would be using. Staryu had made an impression in its battle with him the night before. Such raw, untrained talent could only be molded into something special, especially if it eventually began tossing about powerful psychic attacks.

Before his opponent could call on one of her nearby friends to referee, Staryu was on the field, announcing its arrival with its trademark screech. The blonde nodded approvingly as she produced a pokeball.

"First that little cutie on your front, now a Staryu. Most guys would find it insulting, but I hope you don't mind my saying, your team is adorable. They suit you," she added with a flirtatious wink.

Naruto visibly relaxed at her flirting, a foxy smirk twisting his lips and lightening his blue eyes. As odd as it would sound, it helped with his discomfort. Enemies trying to distract you was a tactic he was accustomed to dealing with.

"Adorable or ugly," Naruto intoned, the curve of his lips deepening as a lovely blush stained her fair features. "As long as they hit hard and fast, they have a place on my team."

The fairer blonde's surprise disappeared, replaced with the same dazzling smile as before. "You, I like," she grinned as she released a pink bundle of fur. At first, Naruto mistook it for one of Cleffa's evolved forms, but with a closer inspection and the longer he looked it over the more differences he noted. A cream-colored stomach, long, rabbit-esque ears, a lack of dainty wings upon its back, and large teal eyes.

"Wigglytuff can hit with the best of them. Right, girl?" The pink puff's answer came in the form of a deep breath. With surprising grace, she launched herself into the air as her form swelled like a balloon about to burst, hanging suspended in the air. "Disable!"

"Move," Naruto barked, the battle having begun without the appearance of a ref to officiate. Instead of the incredible jumping power it had displayed the night before, Staryu rapidly rolled across the field from point to point before it could be paralyzed by Disable, moving as quickly as Meowth could on all fours. "Water Gun!" Naruto yelled around a smile.

Coming to a stop below the inflated rabbit, Staryu fired a torrent of water, the power of which Naruto knew from personal experience.

"Dodge it and use Toxic! Defense Curl to soften your landing!"

Wigglytuff deflated with an animated exhale, falling rapidly and just missing Staryu's Water Gun, halting said star's attack and sending it running as she returned fire with a stream of concentrated poison. Nearing the ground at speeds that would have been painful to say the least, Wigglytuff once more inflated while forming a ball that left her body glowing with what Naruto expected was Defense Curl, its soft, elastic-like form bouncing across the field like a children's ball.

"Harden into Rapid Spin and a five-point Water Gun!" Naruto had seen it use Water-Gun from all its points simultaneously the night before. This coupled with the attacks that Staryu and its evolved form could learn left the blond feeling he had made the right choice in capturing the water-type. Even if it had been prompted by Cleffa.

Staryu shot across the field like a throwing star. Wigglytuff looked as if it were about to jump away again, but was thrown back by a face full of Water Gun before being rocketed across the field as Staryu slammed into her.

"Harden and Rapid Spin again," he ordered as Wigglytuff struggled to its feet. "Minimize!"

Naruto smirked as the newest member of his team shrunk to a third of its regular size as it sped through the air. The attack had caught his attention as soon as his pokedex had listed it off, and after a few hours of testing its limits on the beach earlier that day, he was pleased to find that despite Staryu's reduction in size, the attack didn't alter its weight. Which translated to one hell of a punch. From what he had read about the attack, Staryu was a novice in its use as it could reduce the user to a much smaller size than the water-type could manage at present.

Wigglytuff managed to get itself upright in time to be hammered mercilessly in its rounded chin by Staryu. The psychic shields barely sparked as the pink rabbit crumpled into a boneless pile on the ground. A moment later, its unmoving form disappeared in a flash of blue.

"You weren't kidding about hitting hard, huh?" Naruto's lovely opponent questioned, spirits dampened by Wigglytuff's loss. Reaching for a second pokeball, she was about to throw it when a group emerging from deeper in the gym stilled her hand. Naruto wrote it off as some of the gym's trainers coming to watch or someone deciding to step forward and referee, but was brought up short when he saw a familiar lavender bob. With a young Vulpix in her arms, Courtney and a trio of girls who could all pass for more of the gym's lovely staff strolled from the back of the as if they belonged.

The Hoenn born trainer paused mid-sentence as she caught sight of him, a shocked little squeak escaping her. The others with her took notice of her behavior, looking to the field where Naruto, Staryu, and the blonde stood.

"Leader Whitney!" Naruto threw his opponent a questioning look as she called out to one of the four. The rosette and second oldest member of the group stepped forward, holding the hand of a pink pokemon about the same size as Wigglytuff.

"Rita," Whitney greeted distractedly as she spoke quietly with the former member of Team Rocket at her side. Whatever they were saying left the blond uncomfortable as when they finished, the group gave a startled intake of breath, turning their attention upon him as one.

Before anymore could be done, the pokemon at Whitney's side gave a chirp and bounced forward on familiar lopping bounces. Clefable, Cleffa's final evolution, regarded him with dark, unnerving eyes that made him feel as if his every misdeed and secret were its' to know. Before he could be reduced to squirming under the weight of its gaze, it turned its sights upon Cleffa, who had forgotten her earlier bashfulness at the approach of her elder.

Naruto sighed, resigned, as she wiggled impatiently until he helped her from her pouch. Uncomfortable with how close the strange pokemon was, he crouched with Cleffa in his arms, bringing her closer to Clefable.

Poised to jump away should it turn hostile, Naruto silently watched on as the two chirred at one another.

"Battling I see," Whitney observed as she and her group approached, surveying the interplay between the fairies with a keen eye.

Rita bobbed her head as she unclipped her second pokeball. "His Staryu is amazing. He's going to be a tough one to beat."

Whitney lit up at the news. "Really? I look forward to it. I think we'd all like to see you continue."

"I'll hold her for you if you like," Whitney offered, holding her arms out to Cleffa.

Naruto opened his mouth to decline, but ate his words as Cleffa began to wiggle in an attempt to get free, her stubby little arms waving in want at the gym leader. The same shyness that had seen her hide away from Rita was now nowhere to be found.

"Sure," he sighed, giving a silent signal to his hidden clone to be ready to henge into and substitute with the fairy should they need to leave in a hurry for any reason. The attention of the group had left him on edge, and the sooner he was done battling the sooner they would be gone.

"Your Staryu is good, but my next pokemon won't be as easy as the last." An all too familiar form appeared in a flash of red, reaching for the ceiling as it stretched and raised onto its hind legs.

"Meowth, huh?" he smirked as he recalled Staryu, tossing his starter's ball a little harder in his excitement than he normally would have. Meowth appeared on all fours, crouched and ready to battle. A look of surprise filtered through her teal eyes before it was replaced with an instant dislike of the other feline.

Rita eyed the hissing normal-type warily, though it didn't stop her from trying to tease him again. "Such a cute team," she noted with a somewhat forced smile.

Naruto's reply was playful for the blond, his mood improving as he noted his pokemon's tensed form. It was the first time they had faced another Meowth and he knew his wasn't about to lose to another. "Good Luck."

The battle began without either trainer's command. Meowth mirrored the slightly heavier cat—a tom if Naruto were to guess—rushing forward, though she did so faster and on all fours as opposed to his two.

Meowth swiped at her opponent's face before abandoning the attack as he didn't attempt to dodge, but instead swung at her with glowing claws.

"Use your speed," Naruto ordered, content to sit back and allow her to take the reins, though he would give his advice where it was needed.

Meowth shot forward again, swiping at the male, making contact along its unguarded side before jumping away. Falling for the hit and run tactic for a third time, taking a particularly nasty swipe to his back, Rita interjected.

"Thunder Bolt!"

Naruto's eyes widened. "Distract and disappear!"

Meowth wailed a Screech as the tom's coin flashed dangerously and the smell of ozone filled the air, using Feint Attack to aid in her escape as he flinched. The electric-attack cut through empty air, striking the shields with a crack and leaving spots in the vision of everyone watching.

"Dark Pulse," Naruto barked as Meowth got behind her opponent. Most normal-types could learn a large variety of moves via TMs as Rita's Meowth seemed to have. And Naruto wasn't willing to see what else it could do.

The beam of dark energies struck from up close and sent the other Meowth howling as it was sent crashing forward.

"Dark Pulse into Fury Swipes!" Meowth earned another wail as she shot her downed kin a second time as she leaped on his downed form, scratching and spitting.

"Meowth!" Rita yelled. "Get up! Screech!"

It was Meowth's turn to have her head rattled as the feline under her gave a pronounced howl, the air around them visibly vibrating from the attack before the tom pressed his chance.

"Aerial Ace!" The other Meowth's entire arm glowed as it used the flying-type move, sending the lighter normal-type reeling as he caught her about the face. "Water Pulse!"

Panting and with nasty scratches all over its body, the tom opened its mouth, rapidly forming a swirling ball of highly compressed water that turned into a sizeable wave upon hitting Meowth. In a pile of wet fur, she was washed away by the attack, giving her opponent a moment to regain his breath.

"Let's try this again," Rita ordered, scrutinizing the downed feline. "Thunder Bolt!"

"Disappear!" Meowth was raising up on shaky, tired legs. She didn't even look up before following his command, disappearing in a cloak of dark-type energies. "Don't stop!"

Once more the crack of thunder rang out, missing its target by seconds. Though Naruto knew Meowth couldn't take much more as she reappeared, only to once more use Feint Attack before the other Meowth could get a lock on her.

"Aerial Ace!" Rita squealed as Meowth appeared next to her pokemon, mouth full of Dark Pulse. The tom swung blindly and for all he was worth. For a moment, Naruto thought he had connected and that it was over, but instinct kicked in and Meowth did what he had been making her practice since the first day they met. Catching his glowing paw, Meowth used the power and speed of his attack, turning his momentum against him and slamming him over her shoulder. Even before she had finished using Foul Play, the taste of a second Dark Pulse was lingering on her tongue, which she promptly fired at her downed opponent, ending the match decisively.

The moment the shields died away, Naruto was on the field, striding toward his exhausted pokemon. A flash of red told him Rita had recalled her Meowth as he knelt next to his panting companion where she sat on her hind haunches.

"That might have been your toughest match since Totodile," he commented as he patted her head. Though it was faint and hard to make out as her breathing slowly evened out, her responding purr wasn't lost on him.

"Congratulations." Whitney was the first one to make it to them, Cleffa perched comfortably in her arms. "Meowth is Rita's strongest pokemon. I think she might be right about you. You'll make for an interesting match. Then again," she added mischievously, "it's not every day a rookie catches the League's focus."

Naruto's good mood diminished as he looked to the rosette, but his search for answers was interrupted as the others and Rita approached.

"Good match," the fairer blonde said as she crouched next to Meowth. Holding out a hand for her to sniff, she gently joined him in stroking her, going for the spot behind her ears that all Meowth loved only after receiving said pokemon's permission to touch her.

"You too," Naruto conceded truthfully, discreetly keeping his eye on the gym leader in their midst. "That's the best battle we've had since Azalea."

"Your team is pretty impressive. How many badges do you have?"

"After tomorrow, hopefully two," he gruffly replied as he stood and recalled Meowth. "You'll be receiving challengers again tomorrow, right?" he inquired, turning back to Whitney. Stepping forward, he took Cleffa from her before she had the chance to refuse.

Whitney nodded. "I look forward to seeing you battle first hand."

Naruto made a sound of agreement, turning to leave, but found a body blocking his way. An uncomfortable looking Courtney stood between him and the most direct path out of the gym, absently adjusting the small kit in her arms as she tried, and mostly failed, to make eye contact.

"Naruto," she began, voice carrying an audible shake.

"Vulpix huh?" he observed, more as a way to break the tension she was needlessly creating. "I'm sure your Ninetails would be happy to know you still think about them."

Courtney looked surprised, and a bit pleased, by the direction he had taken things, but found herself nodding as remorse took the place of her nerves. "There's a large den of Vulpix and Ninetails that take up residence between here and Ecruteak. As soon as the League released me, I went with my friends and captured her," she explained, sending the girls around her a fond look before burying her face in Vulpix's tails.

"I'd like to introduce you to my friends," she eventually continued after regaining her composure, stepping back and pointing to the oldest and youngest girls present, the latter who was a brunette a few years older than Naruto. "This is Daisy and May. You already know Whitney, and then there's Lisia, but she had to head back home ahead of us."

"It's probably best Lisia had to head back to Hoenn," Daisy Oak mused with a fond smile. "You know how she is about boys," she added with a knowing glance in the blond's direction.

Courtney and Whitney laughed, nodding. The former was about to comment on their absent friend, but was cut off by the youngest girl present. Eyes as blue as his own and with a red bow that matched her outfit on top of her head, the brunette stepped purposefully forward, wearing a forced kind of smile that didn't reach her grim gaze.

"Thank you," she said stiffly, looking as if she wanted very much to say anything but. "For saving our friend."

Naruto nodded, eyebrow arched at her odd behavior. "It was no problem."

Giving her friend an odd look, a distracted Daisy offered her own thanks, though hers seemed more genuine than her young friend's. "It's partially our fault you had to save her. We should all have stayed and fought."

"Guys," a cherry-faced Courtney mumbled, looking as if she were moments away from shedding tears. Once more extremely uncomfortable, Naruto hastened to bid them goodbye, making for the exit before anyone could call him back. Every ounce of conditioning he had was screaming at him to turn around and face the eyes trained on his back.

 _ROOT_

It was late evening when Naruto found himself on the fourth floor of the Goldenrod department store, paying out a small fortune for a handful of TM's. Half of which he didn't intend to use them anytime soon, but he had been unable to walk away without buying them.

One thing all of the trainers he encountered in the city thus far could agree upon was that he needed to pay the super store a visit. Reportedly, as it was spewed from every mouth that broached the subject, it was one of the largest shopping centers in the world. This fact was reflected in its vast selection of wares. From evolution stones, to TM's, and even a strange candy for pokemon that was described as a "manufactured way to naturally improve the strength of any pokemon who ate it."

To the blond, it sounded a lot like a performance enhancer. Something he wanted nothing to do with and refused to give his pokemon. Though the same sentiment wasn't shared by a lot of the trainers frequenting the store.

Heading to a lower floor, Naruto went in search of an ointment he had read about in his pokedex. It apparently made it easier for Ekans and Arbok to molt, which Ekans was in the process of doing at the moment thanks to his rapid increase in size. The flakes of dry, dead skin were uncomfortable for the serpent and the blond wasn't sure how much longer he could force his clones to help peel him before they started committing suicide. He had already encountered two who had popped themselves rather than be stuck with the job.

"You can hide better than that," Naruto croaked dryly as he entered the second floor. From behind a nearby clothes rack stepped Whitney and her companion Clefable. The former looked sheepish for only a moment before giving him an impish smile.

"Would you believe me if I were to tell you Clefable and I are here to give you fashion tips," she tried halfheartedly as she ran a hand through a rack of shirts. "Surely you know how hideous that rag you're wearing is."

"As great as I'm sure your dedication to fashion is," Naruto droned as he absently tugged at his stolen hoodie. "I find it more likely you're here on behalf of the League."

"Not really. I'm here to take you on a date," Whitney abruptly changed the subject. "The department store isn't known for its food, but the café on the roof has Shellder that are to die for."

"Cut the bullshit," Naruto grunted, in no mood for playing games. "What do you want?"

Next to her, Clefable gave a warning sound, stepping between her trainer and the blond, making it clear she didn't appreciate his tone. Naruto took a matching step back, a touch of unease he couldn't explain taking him as he met the flat black of its gaze. There was something unnerving about the fairy that he hoped Cleffa would one day possess a third of.

"I can see why Bugsy disliked you," Whitney chirped around a fit of giggles as she draped her arms around her strongest and first friend. "He's all about keeping the peace and being proper, yet you're the complete opposite. Brash and straight to the point. Traits some might see as charming. Girls do tend to like bad boys."

Naruto said nothing, splitting his focus between the temperamental fairy and its trainer.

"Fine, don't indulge my whimsy," Whitney sighed forlornly. "The League asked me to keep an eye on you. Not that I'm the only one they asked. Not by a long shot."

"Who?" Naruto prodded tersely.

"That's not why I'm here," she continued as if she hadn't heard him. "I think what you did to those Rockets was the right thing. Most of us who are in the know do. No, why I'm here is a different reason entirely. Though I'd be willing to bet my higher ups would love to know."

"Yeah," he challenged, "what's that?"

"The theft of a pokemon is a serious crime," she informed him matter-of-factly, causing him to tense as she lightly patted the fairy's head. "You see, I donated one of Clefable's eggs to Professor Elm because I trusted him to take good care of it. Imagine our surprise when that same egg, which had been stolen, came strolling back into our gym, now as a cute little Cleffa."

"I didn't steal-"

Whitney cut off his denial with a very unladylike snort, dark, bordering on sadistic amusement warming her cinnamon eyes. "I'm sure you've noticed there's something very special about Cleffa. The same goes for Clefable and the entirety of their evolutionary line. She say's Cleffa is hers... And I'm inclined to believe her."

AN: The comments in this chapter about focusing on only one pokemon was a bit of a shot at my younger self. I was very much one of those players who hulked out one pokemon, more times than not my starter, and used them to smash my way through the game.

There are two things I would like to address from the reviews last chapter. First off, yes, Naruto's personality is boring at this point. He's a root agent. They're trained to be as much. Though I did try and liven him up a touch in this chapter. Secondly, I won't be changing my mind about pseudo-legendaries. I know they're naturally more powerful than other breeds, but any trainer worthy of the title can bring out the true power of their pokemon, especially in this world where it's different than the games, where excessive breeding and stats rule the day. Naruto will certainly be one of these trainers who draw out the best in his pokemon. Plus, I think I've got a great, and original, team in mind.

Lastly, Staryu is the last of the more common pokemon Naruto will be capturing, though personally I don't see Staryu as all that common. From here on out the real monsters start to appear. And it's truly corny how pumped I am for it.

Like always, please review. Every last one is appreciated, even those that aren't exactly in a positive light. And finally, a huge thanks to my new beta AEthereal Devastation. Without him this chapter would have been at least another week in the making.


	5. Milk and Bugs

Title: ROOT

Summary: Fate doesn't just intervene for those who are pure of heart. Naruto, a ROOT operative, wakes the morning after completing the most heinous mission of his career in a place where creatures as deadly as shinobi stalk the lands and chakra is beyond the common man. But when returning home proves impossible, will the cold-hearted blond embrace this new chance or revert to his old ways?

Rating: Heavy T, Eventual M

Pairing: Naruto / May.

Beta: The great AEthereal Devastation. It's him who makes it possible to get this out as quickly as I do.

AN: A few have voiced the opinion that the Naruto in this story is too different from his canon counterpart, that he might as well be an OC for all their similarities. And I say those same people have a bit of a point. My Naruto isn't the same golden hearted idiot from canon or the OP, charming, godlike creature you see in most Naruto crossovers. That's the point, both of this story and fanfiction in general I believe. I wanted a different take on him from what you normally see. After all, if I were to write the same type of Naruto as everyone else, what incentive would there be for anyone to read my story over the countless other Naru/Pokemon X-overs?

Chapter Five: Milk and Bugs

The Goldenrod gym took on a significantly more sinister light after midnight. The plant life cast long, creeping shadows in the moonlight and the once "cute" pokemon that called the gym home were decidedly less cuddly in the night, watching him from shadow-filled corners, luminous eyes scrutinizing his every action.

Beyond the moon peeking in through the windows overhead, the only source of light came from the field on which his team had battled earlier in the day. The harsh glare of spotlights had been turned upon it, illuminating the person responsible for his presence here and the pink bundle of fur and attitude at her side.

"You didn't run," Whitney observed. "Good. Clefable here would have had to come find you had you tried."

"I'm here," Naruto grumbled, petulant, not liking the traitorous thought whispering in his ear that told him there would be no fleeing the pink terror. Not for the first time since happening upon stalker earlier that evening, the urge took him to simply "dispose" of his problem. The only reason he stilled his hand was the fallout that would occur were a gym leader to turn up dead. It was a headache he was willing to avoid… for now.

"What do you want?"

"As I said before I left you at the department store, a battle," she replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "The rest can wait till after."

As Naruto stepped into the challenger's box, Whitney's choice appeared on the field, the crack of its ball echoing through the night. The blond halted with his hand perched on Meowth's ball to stare incredulously at what appeared to be your typical dairy cow. The only remarkable thing of note was its ability to stand on its hind hooves despite its awkward, rounded bulk and its fur that matched the hue of its trainer's hair.

Reminding her not to underestimate based on appearances, he called on Meowth. The feline had recovered in full from her earlier battle and was fit to fight once more. She regarded her much larger opponent with guarded teal eyes and an angry hiss.

"Your opponent is big," Naruto observed. "Don't expect it to go down easily."

"That wasn't nice," Whitney chided with a pout. "You never speak of a lady's weight. Miltank, let's teach them some manners. Wake-Up Slap!"

The large normal-type charged with a bullish snort. The blond bulked at its graceful, swift stride, alarmed to see it was as fast as Staryu and even Meowth, who had a difficult time dodging the swipe of its glowing hooves. Without warning, Miltank changed direction in mid-swing and lashed out with a powerful Stomp that caught Meowth in the side, knocking the breath from her lungs and sending her crashing to the ground.

"Hide," Naruto ordered as Miltank leapt forward. Meowth scrambled away as the bovine swung, using Feint Attack to flee. Miltank gave an angry snort as her opponent disappeared. "Hit and run. Let's see how tough she really is. Aim for her legs."

Meowth appeared a breath later behind Miltank, dragging her claws along its thick, unexpectedly muscled haunches before once more disappearing as it turned on her with a mighty swing of its hoof. Again and again, Meowth slinked up behind or to the side of the heifer using her speed and a liberal application of Feint Attack, raking her sharp claws along its hide, but despite causing it pain, leaving her legs raw and crisscrossed with the mark of her claws, Miltank didn't slow in her efforts to smash her.

"On its back," Naruto grunted, hoping a change of tactic would have some effect. Miltank had already taken more hits than most opponents managed to survive thanks to Meowth's ability Technician, and showed no sign of slowing.

Meowth appeared in the center of her hunched shoulders, earning an annoyed snort of pain from Miltank as she used her claws to maintain her new perch. With only one paw free, she slashed freely at the bovine's back, spurred on by the increasingly pained sounds her efforts were receiving.

Naruto glared as the tank of a normal-type continued to stand despite the assault, spinning and jumping in an attempt to buck its unwanted rider.

Whitney, for her part, looked undisturbed by all the damage her pokemon was enduring. "Let's step it up! Rollout!"

All Meowth felt was a great lurch before her entire world flipped. Managing to land on all fours, she had just enough time to watch as an incensed Miltank lurched forward, folding in on itself and forming a giant, perfectly rounded ball that proceeded to speed toward her faster than she could dodge.

Meowth gave a pained hiss as she was bludgeoned across the field. Miltank was somehow aware of its surroundings despite its spinning, avoiding a collision with the shields as she went into a wide, awkward turn. As expected, it was difficult controlling that much speed, momentum, and weight.

Circling around and going faster than it had moments before, Meowth feinted left, tricking it as she leaped over it. As it circled for another shot, Meowth chanced taking her sights off her opponent long enough to send him a glance.

Naruto nodded as she once more leaped over the ball of vicious pink fur. "Go ahead."

As Meowth landed, it was with Dark Pulse and Pay Day charging. The latter formed first. The golden balls of energy exploded off the rapidly spinning cow to no effect, failing to even slow Miltank's wild charge. Dark Pulse was naturally next, but to drastically different results.

The beam of concentrated dark-type energies caught her mid turn, launching it from its ball-form with an explosion and into the shields. Miltank gave a low, drawn out sound of pain as it shakily began to rise, only to once more be shot with Dark Pulse. But instead of a single quick shot, Meowth held the attack for a good half a minute, until a pensive Whitney recalled her.

"Your Meowth is strong," she admitted with an approving smile. "The best I've encountered in some time. Yet she's still not strong enough take my next pokemon."

For all of a single heartbeat, Naruto thought she had sent out a second Clefable. But what stood across from Meowth was only scarcely better. Clefairy gave a serene smile and musical chirp as it waved to Meowth, who hissed in response.

Whitney gave a girlish giggle as she called out to him. "I predict this will be over quickly."

"Go ahead and use it," Naruto ordered as he glared at the rosette. His newfound respect of the species left him wary of the fae and in no mood to give it a chance to surprise them. It was its older kin, Clefable, that had seen him go ahead and teach all the combat ready members of his team a new move before returning here despite his desire to hold off on doing so. The longer he spent in the presence of the pink pokemon, whose dislike of him it didn't bother hiding, the more unnerved he became.

"Begin," Whitney yelled with a pretty smirk. Meowth's coin gave a brief glow as she prepared to use her newest move, ready to end the match as quickly as she could. But the chance never came.

Clefairy gave it's cheerful, hymn like cry, waving its arms. The next second Meowth was slammed flat to the ground by an invisible and unrelenting force, squirming and hissing but to no avail. It took Naruto fruitlessly wracked his brain for what the cause of Meowth's situation could be until Whitney answered the question for him.

"Clefairy's using Gravity," she explained matter-of-factly, giving a little sigh before continuing to fulfil her earlier prediction. "And this is Meteor Mash."

Naruto's eyes widened at the name of the attack he had never heard before. Cleffa disappeared only to reappear in the same heartbeat over the prone and powerless cat. The move was different from Meowth's Feint Attack as it had been instantaneous, faster even than his best shunshin. Teleportation.

Hovering over Meowth, Clefairy reared back one of its tiny limbs, its glow lingering in Naruto's eyes as it savagely knocked her out with a blow to the base of her skull.

It was a fuming Naruto who recalled an unconscious Meowth. For a moment, he just stood there glaring as Clefairy skipped back to its portion of the field. As good and as fast as Staryu was, there was really only one choice.

Ekans was the only one on his team at present who could face the shifty little fae.

With a whisper of instruction, Naruto tossed Ekans' pokeball. The purple reptile appeared in a coil on the field, hissing poisonously, rattle thumping in a way meant to intimidate.

Clefairy shuddered as it met Ekans baleful gaze, giving a startled little chirr.

"Begin!"

Ekans hissed a mouthful of Poison Sting in Clefairy's direction. Not pausing to see if it hit its target, an oily smoke began to pour from his mouth, laying heavily on the floor and quickly creating a fog that made visibility difficult on his side of the field. Yet before he could cover the entire arena in Haze, the same force that spelled disaster for Meowth forced Ekans into the ring of his coils.

"No amount of smoke can hide him from Gravity, Whiskers," Whitney chided, getting pumped. He'd give her one thing, she certainly loved to battle. "End it, Clefairy!"

"That's where you're wrong," Naruto muttered to himself as Clefairy teleported over the spot where Ekans had been, delivering a devastating Meteor Mash-enhanced punch. Yet Naruto knew his friend would be gone.

Clefairy blinked owlishly, its cherubic features scrunched up in confusion as it attempted to see through the smoke and into the hole Ekans left in his wake. Naruto smirked as it hovered closer, its tiny wings suffused with a pink shimmer, unmoving and purely aesthetic. Something else—something more made it possible for the magical little creature to take to the air.

It never saw Ekans coming.

The snake popped its head out, earning a screech of surprise from Clefairy as it spat what could only be called a wave of poisonous sludge in her face. The fairy sounded as if it were being burned as it blindly teleported across the field, form soaked in poison.

Sludge Wave had been one of those attacks that he just couldn't pass on. Knowing Whitney's love of the Cleffa evolutionary line despite being a normal-type gym leader, it had been the obvious choice for the snake to learn.

Just as Miltank could see as it used Rollout, Ekans too could see what was happening, using the vibrations in the earth to paint a picture of the surface while using Dig. So as he disappeared back underground, beyond the reach of Clefairy's Gravity, it took him only a matter of moments to find the fairy as it futilely wiped at the oily, tar-like poison coating its body.

"Clefairy," Whitney cried, worried for the first time since the match started. "Calm down! Use Moonlight!"

Clefairy stilled, her trainer's voice clearing away her pain-induced panic. It was at that moment that Ekans' shining tail poked up out of the ground, hammering the fairy where she stood.

Sensing his opponent had lost its hold over the gravity on the field, Ekans slithered out of the ground and began coiling about her, peppering every inch of her he could reach with his venom soaked bites. By the time, he had her entwined her with his powerful body and started squeezing, she had stilled except for her shallow, laborious breathing.

Whitney recalled Clefairy with sigh, though it did nothing to dissuade the attractive pull on her lips. "No fair," she pouted playfully, having had a good time. "Poison and steel, a fairy's only weaknesses."

With a bit of ROOT sign language, the handful of clones hidden around the room were poised to strike at Clefable and neutralize her and the rest of her team should the need arise.

"We battled," he pointed out, having already recalled Ekans. "What now?"

Making no move to draw another of the pokeballs hanging at her shapely hips, she crossed the divide between them at a leisurely saunter.

"Calm down," she sighed. Digging in her pocket, she withdrew a TM that she tossed to him. "I wouldn't have called you here were I going to turn you over to the League."

Naruto eyed the technique machine curiously. "So you called me here to battle and give me this?"

Whitney nodded. "That's Gravity, and yes I did. That and warn you about the League. They're very keen on getting information on you."

"Why?"

Whitney laughed, the sound derisive and without mirth. "Why do you think? You killed a base full of Rockets and found a girl none of us could. Do you have any idea who all was looking for her? Important people. People who take notice when a nameless rookie with no badges kills over thirty criminals in a span of less than an hour."

"Important people?" Naruto parroted, eyes narrowed. "The girl's friend was the important one, Oak's granddaughter. Why were they putting in such an effort for Courtney?"

Whitney glared at him for his dismissive words. "Watch it. Courtney's an old friend…Though you're not wrong. Daisy is the one Team Rocket was after. Her grandfather is a world famed Professor. All it took was a word from him for the Indigo and Silver League to take notice. May, on the other hand, is the daughter of a gym leader in Hoenn, where she and Courtney are from, and has a bit of name and reputation herself back home. She also just so happens to be very close to the former Hoenn Champion, Steven."

"Between them and Lisia, whose Uncle Wallace is the current Hoenn Champion, and you had a coordinated effort between three regions. That's a lot of manpower looking for one girl, who you managed to save with a bit of savagery. It was impressive. Too impressive. Add in the fact that as little as two months ago, there were no records of you existing. Now you have the attention of Lance, Wallace, and even Steven."

Naruto was silent as he processed just how quickly everything had escalated. And all it had taken was a single conversation to throw all his carefully laid plans on their head.

"If you're smart," she continued, seeing she had struck the independent blond silent, "you'll think very carefully about how you proceed next. You're going to have to let their informant follow you and not shake them like you did Karen. Who, by the way, wants a piece of you big time. She's pissed."

Being told what he was going to do didn't sit well with the blond. "I don't think so," he snorted dismissively. "I'm good at keeping low profile when the need calls for it."

"It doesn't matter how good you are," she shook her head. "As long as you continue to challenge gyms and even keep your team, they'll be able to track you. Something tells me you're too ambitious to just fall off the radar like that."

Naruto grunted, realizing he had missed that little detail, the League's ability to trace his movements through his team, in all his scheming. The thought that he could abandon them and wait a year or two before starting over, henged into a new identity, and continue unnoticed was dismissed almost as quickly as it came. As much as he hated to admit it, he had grown quite fond of his team, watching and guiding them as they grew stronger and more confident in battle. Ekans was so close to evolving he could taste it, and watching Cleffa hatch and Meowth defeat opponents stronger than herself, such as Miltank and Totodile, were some of his fondest memories to date.

Shaking his head, he looked to the pretty gym leader as she absently dotted upon Clefable, mussing its pink curl with her hands. "You obviously don't think too badly of me. Otherwise we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"You have Clefable to thank," she revealed, squeezing the large fairy to her chest. Clefable gave him the same cold look as it had previously, causing him to question the validity of her words. "I was on the fence about you before you ever set foot in my gym. Like I said before, Courtney's my friend and you dealt with those Rockets in a way everyone I've spoken to on the subject appreciates. But when Clefable saw that you had her young, it was then her decision to make how we would proceed. You're just lucky Cleffa is so fond of you. Had you been anything less than a perfect caretaker, Clefable would have likely killed you."

Naruto nodded woodenly, eyeing Cleffa's mother warily. "Thank you," he offered stiffly, earning a soft chirr from her.

"As I told you before, May is a highly skilled trainer and a top ranked coordinator despite her age. She and a friend of hers played a large part some years back in the downfall of a criminal organization that rivaled Team Rocket before their initial downfall. She has a following in Hoenn and is quite close to Steven. In all honesty, she's infatuated with him and he abuses this fact by using her as his personal errand girl, sending her to do his bidding when he feels a job is beneath him. Just as he did when he requested that she stay here in Johto and track your movements. You've piqued his interest, but for the time being there isn't enough information for him to justify making the trip here and investigating you himself."

"So, I'm just supposed to let his little girlfriend follow me around and report on me to him?"

"Yes," Whitney answered bluntly. "Lay low for a bit and show her you're a skilled trainer, who happened to be at the right place at the right time."

"Is that all?" Naruto asked incredulously.

Whitney nodded, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "It doesn't hurt that you're a cutie, Whiskers. Perhaps some alone time spent with you will redirect May's attention away from the perfection that is Steven Stone."

"Don't count on it," Naruto grumbled, turning and making for the exit.

"Believe me, I don't," Whitney added matter-of-factly. "You're attractive enough, with a smile I suspect is lady killer material if you ever wiped that 'F' you look off your face. Not to mention how you dress, I mean come on, splurge a little. A trainer as good as you can afford something decent to wear. But Steven Stone is something else. Rich, powerful, and too sexy for words."

Naruto snorted, amused by the flushing rosette. "Right, Stone is hot. Good to know," he sassed.

Whitney narrowed her eyes, though the look lacked any real heat. "Don't forget to teach Cleffa Gravity," she reminded him after composing herself. "The sooner she learns it, the better versed she'll be in its use when she starts to battle."

Naruto nodded, seeing no reason why he should mention how he had wanted to hold off on teaching her any TM's. He wasn't going to argue with the closest thing to an expert on the species he had come across. If she said it was the thing to do, he'd trust her.

"Once she evolves, Teleport is your next move. As you saw, it's an effective combo." Digging in the pocket of her tight little shorts, she produced what he recognized as a Plain Badge. Catching the thin, unassuming piece of metal, he gave his thanks as he once more made for the exit. But before he could leave, Whitney shouted one last parting word of advice.

"Nothing better happen to May and Cleffa, or Clefable and I will hunt you down."

ROOT

The next morning saw him doing something that would have seen him receive a beating had he tried as much while under Danzo's thumb. He slept in.

It wasn't until lunch time that he crept out of bed and checked on Meowth and the others before hopping in the shower. The skin searing heat of the spray had long since turned icy before he found it in himself to step out and began preparing for the day and subsequently the next step of their journey.

Well stocked on everything he would need for some time, he headed for the northern most section of the city. Initially, he had given some real thought to heading off road to Violet City, traveling via the trees and on paths where a rare few trainers treaded. This method would have seen him reach Falkner's domain in days rather than the weeks it would take to get there traveling along the roads at a normal and in no way suspicious pace.

Ignoring the vendors that lined the long, broad street leading north and out of the city, attempting to peddle their wares to trainers headed for the waiting wilds, Naruto exited the city, keeping an eye out for a straggler he knew to be coming. But as mid-day made the gradual transition to afternoon and he approached Johto's National Park, he was surprised to see his tail never appeared, despite his sluggish speed.

After creating a clone that he sent sprinting back toward Goldenrod, henged of course, it popped just outside the city, reporting there had been no sight of the trainer from Hoenn. Shrugging it off, he entered the park, pausing long enough to read a plaque boasting the park's almost three hundred-thousand acres.

Known simply as the Johto National Park, it was a nature preserve that rested at the heart of the region and that reached as far as Ecruteak and Olivine City. Behind Cianwood's Safari Zone, it was the second largest sanctuary in all of Johto. But unlike the aforementioned pokemon preserve, the National Park was the more popular attraction of the two thanks in large part to its location on the main continent and proximity to the fifth largest city in the world. It didn't hurt that, unlike the Safari Zone, you could catch the pokemon that called the park home.

The road leading to Ecruteak and Violet City crossed over into the park's boundaries before gradually veering out once more. It was a very popular stretch thanks to the number of park provided campsites with lavatories and wash closets along the route. It was these creature comforts that saw large numbers of trainers hold up in the area for long periods of time training.

Passing through an archway as large as the entrance gates to Konohagakure that proclaimed he was entering the park, Naruto found himself in an entrance plaza that was less of a reserve and more of a tourist draw. Vendors leisurely pushed their stalls about the cobbled courtyard, calling out to couples littering the park benches and groups of trainers and tourists alike who were making use of the supplied picnic tables. There were even small, doorless, multi-seat vehicles called carts that were part of a chaperoned tour further into the park.

It was the return of one of these carts that saw Naruto stop and take notice. Though he wasn't the only one. The passengers and driver were all bloodied and exhausted, and the cart itself had sustained significant damage. The tarp-like roof had been shredded and more than one of the tires was flat. Yet it wasn't it or the passenger's state that drew Naruto's attention but the trio of pokemon circling about high overhead.

A giant bird, a dragon, and an enormous, six-foot dragonfly-like creature kept sentry over the cart. Pidgeot and Charizard he knew, though it was still an awe-inspiring sight to see them both together, performing acrobatic feats in tandem with one another and the large bug. Though Naruto couldn't help noticing that something was off about the fire-type, as if something had happened to make it favor one of its wings.

Ruffling through his pocket, he freed his dex and directed it at the third member of the guard.

"Yanmega, the Ogre Darner Pokemon. By churning its powerful wings, it creates shock waves that are capable of critical internal damage. It prefers to battle by biting apart foes' heads instantly while flying by at high speeds."

Naruto whistled at the pokedex's description. Now that was a frightening creature, but at the same time indescribably cool.

"Come on," a voice behind him urged as a dainty hand took him by the arm. Naruto tensed, refusing to budge as the unknown tugged on his arm.

"Who are- Oh," Naruto grunted as he carefully freed his arm from her grasp. "It's you."

May nodded distractedly, her gaze trained on the group who had just arrived. "If you want to set out today, we better go now," she informed him with a thoughtful frown, nodding to the focus of his gaze.

A heavy-set man dressed in cargos and a matching green button up lumbered toward the group, a concerned look on his sweaty features. "The swarm again?" he asked the driver, who nodded grimly.

The driver slapped the steering wheel as he rolled out of the front seat and started recalling the trio overhead. "The recent shift in leadership has them hopping mad. It used to be rare that they would show themselves in areas where the tours took place. But today it took my whole team to drive them off. And this was only a few miles out. I need to get Char looked at. One of them got the drop on him from behind."

Glancing shiftily about, as if he feared the 'swarm' would pop out of the woodwork at any moment, the bigger man leaned forward and whispered, "Should we go ahead and evacuate the area? You know, just in case?"

That was all Naruto needed to hear. With a mumbled 'Come on', he started jogging down the road before he could hear the driver's answer. He was surprised when his straggler was able to keep pace without a hitch in her breathing or having to outright run.

"Naruto, right?" she asked as the entrance to the park slowly began to become a distant point behind them.

The blond nodded, rolling his eyes to himself. "You're Courtney's friend from Hoenn. May."

"You remember," she pointed out conversationally.

Naruto shrugged. "You interrupted my battle. Kind of hard to forget."

May chuckled, the sound resigned. "You're one of those trainers," she said knowingly. "All about battling. I take it you challenged Whitney?"

"I ran into her last night and she let me challenge her then." Abruptly he slowed from his jog, causing her to follow suit. "I was able to earn the Plain Badge." Without explanation, he made for the woods some ways off the road. May watched him go, confused.

"Where are you going?" she called after him, making no move to follow the younger teen into the woods. She wasn't an idiot after all.

The blond cast a dry glance over his shoulder as he was swallowed by the forest. "Nature calls."

Once he was out of sight, he created a bunshin that he pointed toward the road where May stood, attempting to discreetly peek into the woods to see if he had run off. "Don't get popped," he warned firmly, handing off Staryu's ball, a sleeping Cleffa, and his rucksack before taking to the trees.

ROOT

Retracing their steps, Naruto found himself back at the entrance to the reserve, which was now empty save for a few members of the park's staff who were on patrol, and disappeared in the direction the cart had come from. The park was known to boast many exotic breeds of pokemon, the most common of which were bug and grass-types, some of which were introduced to the park from distant regions. Whatever had caused the vehicle that much damage while tangling with Charizard, Pidgeot, and Yanmega was worth taking notice of. Possibly even worth catching.

Following the road, the blond eventually came to an intersection where the tracks from countless carts overlapped and crisscrossed. Though before he could investigate, he would have to hang back as it was here that a large group of the park's rangers were gathered discussing the situation.

"It was down there a ways," the driver from earlier pointed off down the road before referencing a map that lay draped across the hood of one of the carts. "Down near the grasslands, northwest of the falls about a mile from here. Damn bugs were so fast, we didn't see them until they were right on top of us. The swarm is growing in number and viciousness. My team didn't have any trouble driving them off, though they might have killed the entire tour group had Char not let himself out of his ball. He was protecting us and holding them all back when one got him pretty badly from behind."

Hearing all he needed, Naruto rushed off in pursuit. It took only moments to find the scene where the tour had been attacked. Crouched down on the rough, dirt path, barely wide enough to fit a single cart, he dipped his fingers in a sizeable puddle of blood, though it was by no means the only place where the road was stained with such puddles. As soon as he touched it, he knew it wasn't human in origin as even now, almost an hour after being shed, the ichor was still warm, more so than would be healthy for a human. Given the impressions on the ground, one of which looked as if it belonged to a thick, powerful appendage, almost like a tail, he assumed the blood was Charizard's.

Other than tire tracks and signs a sizable dragon had been present and in a foul mood, there was a swarm of clawed, alien tracks littering the road. Besides those that showed they had indeed ambushed the tour, the others read that the ones responsible had fled into the rolling hills of grasslands off to the side of the road. When Naruto paused to listen closely, he could just make out the distant crash of rushing water. Likely the falls the driver had mentioned.

Proceeding with caution, he sprinted into the field of dense, chest high grass. Keeping low, he quickly but quietly made his way forward, keeping a lookout for any sign of the mysterious swarm he was pursuing. It wasn't until he was clear of the wild grass that he picked up their trail once more, headed in the direction of the distant stream.

It would be another mile of keeping a low head and scanning his surroundings before his impromptu mission would bear fruit. As he had followed their trail, he had encountered random trees and log that had been cut in two. The cuts were precise and clean and had been done with the skill of a true master of a blade. But the closer he grew, the more frequent the damage to the area became. It was as if a master swordsmen had gone through and started cutting at anything that caught their attention indiscriminately.

It was when he heard clicking, hissing, and grunting that he knew he had located his target. Taking to the nearby trees once more, he leapt through the canopy until he came to a scene unlike any other he had ever seen in the wild. A group of almost two dozen large, green, mantis-like pokemon stood in a large circle around a battle, clicking and swiping their long scythe-like appendages at the duo in the center.

Standing in the center of the circle was an equally impressive beetle-like pokemon. The brown bug gave a gruff grunt as it spun about, clinking its powerful antlers menacingly at the blur of green running circles around it. Naruto fished his pokedex from his pocket, being sure to lower the volume to its lowest setting, as he watched the faster pokemon lash out with its scythes as it sped past, cutting deep furrows in the beetle's exoskeleton.

"Pinsir, the Stag Beetle Pokemon. It swings its long pincer horns wildly to attack. In the unlikely occurrence it can't crush its enemies with it's pincers, it will use its immense strength to toss them."

Sparing the beetle a glance as it wildly swung its horns about, missing its target and paying with another strike to its back, Naruto redirected his pokedex toward one of the insect/reptile hybrids that made up the circle.

"Scyther, the Mantis Pokemon. Scyther is blindingly fast and possesses ninja-like agility. Its blazing speed enhances the effectiveness of its forearm scythes. Though as rare a sight as Scyther itself, on occasion this powerful flyer will spread its wings and take to the skies."

Naruto didn't need to hear anything else to know he wanted one of the green insectoids. As if to further entice him, it was at that moment that a great crack rent the air, followed by such a cry of pain that the blond was sure the kill was coming. Pinsir no longer attempted to follow its opponent, clutching at its mangled horn. Scyther had sheared clear through its pincer.

The same Scyther clicked and hissed proudly, producing a sound that was reminiscent of summer cicadas and earning a course of the same from its fellows. The blond watched on apathetically as Scyther slowly dissected the defeated beetle, pondering as he did so on how to go about capturing the leader without having to combat the entire swarm.

"How are we going to do this?" he mused softly to himself, not expecting an answer. Nor the crack of two pokeballs to break his cover. Eyes widening in disbelief, Meowth and Ekans appeared on the tree branch next to him, their sights trained on the hive that had noticed their arrival.

"Are you serious?" he hissed, incredulous and pissed in equal measure. Forgetting all about Pinsir, the hoard turned their collective attention upon the trio in the trees, clicking and hissing as they inched forward, baring their menacing blades.

Naruto grabbed randomly at his waist, intent on recalling his impulsive team, but a hiss from both Ekans and Meowth stilled his hand. With an eye trained firmly on the encroaching threat, he gave the two a dubious look. "You really want to do this?"

Cat and snake nodded in tandem, the latter turning and hacking up a wave of tar-like toxins easily three times the size of that used against Clefairy the night before. Five of the seventeen Scyther caught the attack straight on, coating their exoskeletons and reptile-like heads in the poison.

Using Sludge Wave a second time, Ekans dropped from the branch, followed seconds later by Meowth. Two more of the Scyther were hit by the poison, with all the rest having learned their lesson at the expense of the first five to be hit, leaping around their incapacitated hive mates. Included in those who had dodged the attack was the main Scyther, taller, leaner, and faster than all the rest of its brethren. It also just so happened to be Naruto's target.

The blond created a handful of bunshin as Ekans tunneled underground. Meowth's coin illuminated as she finally got the chance to use the attack he had taught her the night before. The smell of ozone preceded a crack of thunder. Thunder Bolt caught one of the faster Scyther who had been leading the charge, dropping it instantly.

"Watch them," he barked. His clones wouldn't interfere unless it was absolutely necessary, Meowth and Ekans wanted to battle and he'd let them. But that didn't mean he wasn't going to give them hell later.

A shunshin later, Naruto appeared behind the leader of the swarm, and was promptly forced to duck as the insect turned without missing a beat, slashing at him with the intent to take his head from his shoulders. Naruto blocked its follow up with a kick to the bend of its arm, stopping one of its scythes inches from his face as he lashed out with a backhand and caught it in the narrow chin, doing little to no damage.

On the other side of the clearing, Meowth was using a combination of Dark Pulse and Thunder Bolt to take out and keep the remaining Scyther at bay and still she couldn't take a moment to pause or catch her breath. For every one she dropped, two more would take its place that she would have to send retreating with a beam of dark energy. Those that had fallen victim to Ekans' initial attack were rejoining the fight, sluggish and weak from the poison but seething and able to see once more.

Ekans surfaced behind the last two he had hit, both still blinded and wiping furiously at their faces, his tail cast in a brilliant silver glow as he swung the incredibly powerful limb at their knees, one of only two sections of their bodies not encased in a hardy exoskeleton. With sickening pops, both fell to a single swing. Before they had ever hit the ground, Ekans was back in the earth, searching for its next victim.

Throwing a concerned glance over his shoulder, Naruto absently parried a strike from the leader with a kunai, lashing out with another kick that connected with its chest as he tossed the tempered blade away, the steel having nearly been sheared in two under the sharpness of the insect's scythe. Dropping into a sweep kick, taking Scyther's legs out from under it, he cycled through the seals of a katon jutsu that he mercilessly spat at the downed bug.

Hand going to a spare ball, he was about to toss it at the burning insect, but froze at the erratic hum of frantically beating wings. Leaping free of the flames, a scorched Scyther beat its thin, transparent wings in a way that produced a cutting wind that lifted Naruto up off the ground and toward the deadly embrace of the hovering insect.

With both shallow and deep cuts appearing along his clothing and on his exposed face and arms, Naruto slammed through the seals of his own bit of wind manipulation. Ressenpū tore raggedly from his lips, the suction of Vacuum Wave further increasing its power, blowing an unprepared Scyther into the very tree the blond had occupied moments before.

Meowth danced under the swipe of one Scyther and into the path of another. Flickering out of sight with Feint Attack, she unleashed Dark Pulse directly into the base of its spine, sending it crashing into a pile of limbs and wings with the previous insect. Lighting them up with a Thunder Bolt for good measure, she quickly moved on.

Ekans sent a Scyther charging at Meowth's turned back stumbling with a well-aimed Poison Sting. Hissing angrily, it quickly adjusted its focus, sprinting toward Ekans as a dense smoke poured from its maw, obscuring it from view. Unhindered by a lack of visibility, Scyther rapidly beat its wings, producing a silvery wind which cleared away Haze and sent Ekans flying in the direction of one of the last Scyther to be hit by Sludge Wave that was still standing. Still in air, Ekans swung its silver encased tail, parrying its scythe and spitting Poison Sting directly into its face.

Landing heavily, he hissed, annoyed, slithering toward the reeling Scyther, but abruptly froze before he reached his target. By the time Scyther could once more open its eyes, it immediately shut them with a hiss.

Naruto took his eyes off his own Scyther as the area was illuminated by a shining Ekans. Different than when he used Iron Tail and more intense than that which had been produced by the pokemon forced to evolve by the Rockets, it seared at his retina and halted the conflict in its entirety. As the light gradually began to abate, it was to the sight of a massive, incensed Arbok. Having grown easily five feet during the process of the transformation, the now eleven-foot serpent flexed its powerful, dexterous body, thumping its blunt, heavy tail—now without a rattler—loudly against the ground. Equally as impressive was the appearance of its wide hood, upon which were frightening, face-like markings.

Everyone was still frozen into inaction when Arbok moved. While he still couldn't beat his teammates in a race, the serpent's strike was lightning fast. Sinking his venom drenched, dagger-like fangs deep into Scyther's exposed midsection, injecting enough poison into the insect that it was unlikely to survive before bringing Iron Tail down savagely upon its head. Turning his sights upon the rest of the swarm, he spat a wave of poison, incapacitating the last of the Scyther.

Watching on in awe as Arbok advanced on the victims of Sludge Wave, Naruto was pulled from his musings by a dull thud and a hiss that gradually trailed off. Looking back, the blond found one of his clones standing over the crumpled form of the Scyther he wanted, the insect having snuck up on him while he was distracted by his newly evolved pokemon. Nodding his thanks, he sent the clone back into the tree with the rest of his doppelgangers as he used a pokeball to capture Scyther. Placing its ball on his hip, he made his way over to Meowth, who sat back wearing an unreadable expression as she watched Arbok brutalize the helpless swarm.

Giving the cat a proud look, he recalled her—noting the first pokemon Arbok attacked was deathly still—as he called out to Arbok. The snake didn't heed his call, continuing to bludgeon the insects, aiming for their heads and wings.

"Arbok," he said more firmly as he advanced on the cold-blooded member of his team. It was enough for Arbok to take note, turning on him with glowing red eyes that robbed the blond of all bodily function. With herculean strength, Naruto ripped into the tender flesh of his cheek with his canines, freeing himself of Glare in much the same way one could break the hold of pure killing intent, self-inflicted pain.

"What the hell was that?" he growled at the hissing snake. Realizing something was wrong, he was prepared this time when Arbok attacked, dodging a mouthful of glowing, poisonous barbs. Using a shunshin to appear behind him, Naruto slammed down on his hood, pinning him to the ground with his foot in a move that was reminiscent of their first meeting.

"Don't make me hurt you," Naruto hissed, putting some effort into holding the serpent down.

He had read about this, pokemon acting out after evolving. Sometimes it was temporary, an effect of the hormones and abundance of adrenaline associated with evolution, though for others it was the new norm, a result of their increase of power and ability. Luckily it became apparent which Arbok was suffering through as he gradually began to grow docile. By the time, Naruto stepped off of him, the serpent managed to convey a look of befuddled shame for its behavior. It was without the normal awkwardness that the blond brushed an affectionate hand along his large, scaled head.

With a final pat and a reassurance that all was fine, Naruto recalled the snake and took stock of the devastation his team was responsible for. Meowth and Arbok had surprised him with their showing. He hadn't expected them to be as effective against the swarm as they were. Arbok especially had done a number on them, and that was before he factored in his rampage after his evolution.

An inkling of remorse filled him at the amount of force that had been used. With a flicker of his fingers, the blonde sent one of his henged clones, ordering the rest to self-pop, off to find the park rangers and lead them to the injured Scyther. The insects were amazing creatures, a hive of alphas as it were, and if they didn't receive the proper medical attention, and soon, most of them would be permanently crippled or succumb to their injuries. The element of surprise had played a large part in their victory, the swarm had expected easy pickings when they had spotted them up that tree.

It was always a terrible sight to see a predator become the prey.

ROOT

"Jujitsu Academy?" Clone Naruto parroted. Absently he brushed a hand through Cleffa's curl as the timid fae, who had just awakened from her nap, attempted to flee further into her pouch. "Like a ninja school?"

The beauty nodded serenely, keeping to the collected demeanor she had presented herself with since jumping out of the tree and almost getting herself riddled with kunai. "To those capable of embracing the shadows, we impart the teachings passed down from the shinobi of old who bled, trained, and waged battle alongside their pokemon."

Snorting, May critically eyed the older girl's outfit and the astounding amount of leg she had on display. She certainly dressed the part of a ninja, sporting the traditional garb one associated with kunoichi, skirt hiked high on her shapely legs and a valley of fishnet encased cleavage that drew the eye. That her clothing was pink was more difficult for the Hoenn born lass to accept than it was for the actual shinobi at her side.

Seduction was just one of the many tools at a shinobi's disposal, the fact that her revealing clothing was a vibrant pink wasn't all that farfetched in the blond's opinion. He'd seen outfits worn not only by kunoichi, but shinobi as well that was twice as provocative and flamboyant. No, what he had a difficult time believing was that she thought she had actually been hidden in the canopy.

Despite his doubts about her validity as a kunoichi, he played along, admittedly curious on this world's take on his kind. "Where's your school?"

Aya shook her head as she answered, "Should one wish to attend our school they must first be led there. And only after they have proven themselves in battle."

Naruto fought the urge to roll his eyes at her secrecy, but withdrew Staryu's ball. "One on one?"

Aya nodded to his terms, sprinting down the road some ways before she released her pokemon. Naruto had to at least give her some credit, she had certainly mastered how to step and run silently. Though again her hiding ability had been shit.

Venomoth was released into the air, giving a strange grunting-sort of purr as it beat its lavender wings to remain afloat. Staryu, as normal, was louder in its announcement of its release. May made her way to the halfway point between the two, playing referee without prompting.

"Begin!"

Instruction wasn't needed as both pokemon immediately launched into their respective attacks. A Minimized Staryu threw herself toward the moth, a golden blur as it cut through the air. Yet the savage blow Naruto expected never came. Venomoth shuddered, not attempting to dodge as psychic-energies suffused its form. An identical cloak ensnared Staryu, stopping the water-type inches from Venomoth before said dual-type slammed it viciously upon the ground.

"Disable!" Aya called with a firm, approving nod.

Venomoth's bulbous eyes took on the same shade of blue as previously. Staryu, who had quickly up righted itself, found its star-shaped body rendered immobile.

"Break free," Naruto barked. "Tri-Attack!"

Along with Thunder Bolt for Meowth and Sludge Wave for Ekans, Tri-Attack was the move he had taught the water-type in preparation for their battle the previous night. But before Staryu could make use of its new attack, Venomoth quivered as it fluttered its wings, producing a trio of powders that Naruto recognized as combination of Stun Spore, Sleep Powder, and Poison Powder.

Even as Staryu began screeching, firing Water-gun from its points as it attempted to free itself, Naruto knew it to be their loss. Bitterness like ashes, the grim taste of his first real defeat, laid heavily on his tongue as he recalled an unconscious Staryu. It was fortunate that its ability was Shed Skin, which meant after sometime spent inside its ball, all of its status conditions would heal naturally.

"You battled well," Aya praised apathetically, earning a derisive scoff from the blond. The kunoichi paid his petulant behavior no mind, turning her attention upon May. "And you, would you also like to battle?"

May was shaking her head before Aya had ever finished asking. "I'll battle you, but I have no interest in being a ninja." From her tone, it was apparent just how little May thought of the idea of shinobi.

Naruto traded spots with his tag along, standing at the midway point as he received his first glance at the type of pokemon she used. In a word, it was bizarre. Hovering an inch or so above the ground, the pokemon had multiple faces, small stubby legs that couldn't hope to support its weight, and spherical arms with small protrusion, neither of which were attached to its body. The pokemon gave a hollow, ringing sound as it was released.

Digging his pokedex out of his rear pocket, Naruto called a start to the match.

"Ancient Power," May ordered as Venomoth used Disable once more. The same glow which had robbed Staryu of its own match, illuminated the bird-like creature. But the owl met the glow with one of its own. All of its eyes taking on the same blue as Venomoth's, it pulsed, freeing itself of the moth's hold.

Flexing its otherworldly power, the strange pokemon ripped mighty chunks of earth from the road, flinging them with its mind as if they weighed nothing. Venomoth gave a panicked grunt as it attempted to fly out of the way of the coming barrage, but was frozen in midair by its opponent's use of Psychic. Venomoth wasn't a true psychic like its opponent. From the very beginning, the victory had been May's.

Aya hastily recalled Venomoth as one of the boulders slammed into its immobile form.

"You're certain you have no desire to learn the arts of stealth, secrets, and shadows?" the kunoichi inquired, sounding both putout and hopeful. "You're Claydol battled magnificently. You're the type of student my brother, Koga, had in mind when he founded our school."

Naruto, whose interest in the school had waned the longer they interacted with the kunoichi, stowed away his pokedex—for the second time it had failed to divulge information on a foreign pokemon—but paused at the familiar name.

"Koga of the Elite Four?" he asked, taking a step forward. Aya nodded distractedly, her attention trained on May. It was clear she saw the fairer half of the duo as the more promising recruit of the two.

"That's correct," Aya continued her sales pitch, trying for enticing. "Our family has a similar school in Kanto, but he created a second here in Johto, to spread our teachings to all who should be deserving."

"And you pick the deserving by jumping out at anyone who passes under your hiding place? A tree?" May challenged disbelievingly. "No thank you."

Aya continued, unhindered by her refusal and unwilling to accept as much. "Only those who show promise are invited. You're traveling to Ecruteak, no? Come with me. The school is along the way."

Naruto scoffed, tiring of the kunoichi's pleading and more than a little annoyed by his companion's victory. Where Staryu had been handily defeated, Claydol had won just as easily against Venomoth. The gap between their teams was that great. Without a parting comment, he left.

"Wait," May called, ignoring Aya and chasing after him. "Where are you going?"

"Violet city. I figured if you two were going to be busy playing dress up, I'd be on my way."

"You're not headed for Ecruteak?"

Naruto the clone shook his head, casting a glance over his shoulder as he watched Aya return to her perch. The original Naruto would likely send a clone to track her back to her school, if for no other reason than its connection to Koga. If there were shinobi in this world, her brother would be his best chance of finding and learning their limitations. Aya had about as much chakra as the girl following him. He rather doubted anyone else of this world would be different.

"I was a new trainer when I first visited Violet City. I received Meowth less than two weeks before and had no chance of besting him. So, I moved on without battling him," he explained truthfully. "I headed south and challenged Bugsy and, after beating him, Whitney. Now that I'm better equipped, I'll challenge and defeat Falkner and his overgrown pigeons."

May gave an approving sound. "For a new trainer that was very smart of you. A lot of rookies have to learn the hard way that there are some battles it's best you walk away from." Looking thoughtful, she turned to him with a bewildered look, parroting something he had said before. "Pigeons?"

Naruto shook his head dismissively, realizing his slip up. "A weak flying-type from where I come from. More of a winged rodent than anything else. It's not important-" The clone stumbled mid-stride as a rush of foreign memories left him bent double and his head swimming. His original might be able to handle an onslaught of information without breaking stride, but he was made of softer stuff, even in mental capacity.

"Are you alright?" May asked, laying a hand tentatively on his shoulder. Reaching into the fanny pack strapped to her lower back, she freed her canteen, offering it to him. "Drink this."

Naruto did as she instructed, more as a way to play off what had just happened than actual need. As a chakra construct, needs such as thirst and hunger were necessities he didn't have to concern himself with.

"Thanks," he nodded shakily, accepting the pale. "I just need a minute… if you don't mind," he added as an afterthought. The dizziness had passed almost as quickly as it had appeared, but knew it wouldn't take long for the original Naruto to catch up. After all they had been through, waging war on the swarm, Ekans' evolution, and the serpent's resulting fit, they just might appreciate a break themselves. "You can keep going if you like," he offered as he pulled deeply on her canister, knowing what her answer would be. He wanted to know what her reason would be for following him to Violet City. He might not be trying to shake her, but wasn't going to make it easy on her.

"I've come to Johto on holiday," she lied, accepting her canteen back and taking a drink from it. "Violet City is the second largest settlement in the region and its rate of expansion is second to none. If I'm here to see Johto, it seems a waste to pass on the opportunity to visit it."

Nodding idly, Naruto stroked Cleffa's curl, whispering reassuringly to her in his scratchy drawl. It had finally sunk in for the young fae that their new companion was going to be sticking around for a time and had taken to peeking suspiciously out of her pouch at the brunette.

May smiled prettily at the fairy-type, crouching down in front of pokemon and trainer and waving to her. "Hello," she cooed, sending Cleffa ducking back into her pouch. Giggling, she withdrew two balls from her hip. "No need to be afraid," she whispered, coaxing the fairy to peek out again. "How would you like to meet some friends of mine?"

Cleffa watched on, curious but cautious, as the strange human called on a 'Delcatty' and 'Altaria.' Cleffa poked further out, making a sound that was somewhere between a gasp and a squeal of excitement at the sight of a feline-like pokemon that was a few sizes larger than Meowth and a blue avian whose feathers looked as if they were made from clouds.

The large bird, Altaria, gave a hymn-like cry as Delcatty purred audibly, both moving eagerly toward their trainer and nudging and brushing affectionately against the laughing girl.

"I'm happy to see you too," May sighed tenderly. Running her hand along Delcatty's head, she nuzzled cheeks with Altria in an attempt to stop it from trying to perch on her head. "I want you both to meet Cleffa," she eventually got out after a time in which she could do nothing more than give in to the duo's desire for attention.

Both cat and bird shuffled forward much to Cleffa's delight. Wearing a soft smile, Naruto freed the squirming fairy from her pouch on to the ground. Cleffa bounced and jumped, basking in the attention of the gentle-natured pokemon who were mewing and trilling along with the fairy.

The duo were about as different from Claydol as you could get. Where the latter exuded an aura of mystique and raw power, which it had no difficulty backing up as shown by its performance against Aya, Altaria and Delcatty were beautiful and serene and instilled the same qualities into those in their presence. Yet something told him his team would have about as much chance defeating them as they did Claydol.

His musings were interrupted by the harsh caw of a raven. The cry of the bird froze him where he sat, but his eyes danced along the tree line. Standing, he ran a hand along Cleffa's head as she attempted to burrow into Altria's plumage.

"Where are you going?" May inquired as he made for the trees.

"Bathroom," he answered as he jogged across the road.

"Again?"

"Again. Watch Cleffa for me till I get back."

As soon as he was far enough into the forest not to be seen, the original Naruto dropped from the canopy. Though he had seen the memories of the clones who had watched the fight with the swarm take place, he hadn't realized that Scyther's Vacuum Wave had done such a number on him.

"It's not as bad as it looks," Naruto grunted, running a hand through his hair, only to pull away with a handful of damp with blood clippings in hand.

"Not that bad," clone Naruto gaped, grabbing him by the shoulder and jerking him around. "You're bleeding, your clothes are destroyed, and you're bald in spots. You can't just henge this away. We don't know how long Stone will have May following us."

"I know," Naruto sighed, shrugging out of his grip.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to be attacked by Scyther while pissing," Naruto explained. "Now henge into one and make some noise and cause some damage. Then head further into the woods from here and pop yourself."

May was knelt next to Delcatty as she tickled Cleffa as she squirmed and grunted in a bed of Altaria's plumage when she first realized something was wrong. The unmistakable groan of a tree falling rang out, followed seconds later by a earth rattling crash. Instantly she was on her feet and running for the woods, calling over her shoulder for Altaria and Delcatty to protect Cleffa until she got back.

Before she had cleared the road, three more trees had fallen. Unclipping two balls from her hip, Blaziken and Swampert appeared next to her, the former falling in stride behind her as the latter, rushing forward on all fours, spearheaded their charge.

Losing balance as another tree fell farther into the woods than she could see, Blaziken's searing fingers wrapped about her waist, setting her on Swampert's back before leaping over them both to take the lead.

"Careful," May warned the duo she had received from her father at the start of her journey. "I don't know what's happening, but there's a boy who might be in trouble!" she yelled over the crash of another tree.

"Naruto!" she called as they darted through the woods. As soon as the words left her mouth, a flash of blue light off in the distance caught their collective attention. "Are you alright?!"

Flames licking at its long, powerful legs, Blaziken leapt into the clearing prepared for a battle, followed a heartbeat later by a lumbering but equally as swift Swampert. May glanced about the clearing and the total destruction—it looked as if someone had taken a chainsaw and indiscriminately started cutting down every tree in sight—before looking to her target. Clothes ripped and torn, face, arms, and body peppered with fresh cuts—some much deeper than others—yet the blond himself looked as if he had encountered nothing more than a mild breeze as he absently mussed his hair.

"What happened?" she demanded as she slipped from Swampert's back with a pained wince.

"I caught a new pokemon," Naruto revealed, sounding very much like he had commented on the weather.

May snorted, muttering darkly about 'Boys' and someone named 'Brandon' under her breath. "Are you alright?"

Naruto nodded, maneuvering the graveyard of trees in which he stood at the heart of. "No worries. Nothing important was cut off."

May flushed an attractive shade of red at his choice of words but pressed on. "How did you even get out this far?"

"I was more worried about keeping my head attached to my shoulders than where I was going. I just ran until I could find a good spot to release Meowth and Arbok."

"Are they okay? I don't see them."

Naruto patted his hip where their balls hung next to Staryu's and Scyther's. "They're good. They didn't have any trouble with Scyther."

May looked surprised by the news. "You caught a Scyther?" she balked, impressed. The species wasn't native to Hoenn, but that didn't mean she didn't know of them. They were a dangerous, rare breed that, while not known for such behavior, it wasn't uncommon to hear of their trainers having 'accidents,' where in maiming and even the loss of life had occurred.

"Are you ready for such a dangerous pokemon?" she inquired, concerned as she eyed him and his many cuts before leaning down and whispering something to the large water-type she had come riding in on. "You've only been a trainer for a few months, right?"

Naruto chuckled, wiping at a cut on his temple and accidentally smearing crimson along his face. "What? You witness my first loss, now you're second-guessing me?"

"First loss?" May repeated, a touch of disbelief coloring her tone. Naruto nodded. "Then you've been very fortunate all this time. A lot of trainers suffer their first loss days into their journey, if not sooner."

"I'll be the first to admit putting it off doesn't make it any easier to accept," Naruto grumbled darkly. Seeing the clone's memories had left him as annoyed as it had the bunshin.

May's response was lost as the pokemon she had been riding lumbered forward, nuzzling her with its mighty head and nearly knocking her from her feet. "Come on," she beckoned him with her free hand, the other busy scratching under Swampert's orange gills. "Swampert says there's a river nearby where you can clean up."

"I'm fine, really." Naruto waved her off as he made for the way they had come. "I need to find Cleffa."

"She's fine," May assured him. "She's with Altaria and Delcatty. Listen, you may think you're fine, but some of those cuts are pretty bad. They could get infected."

"They're fine, really. I've functioned normally with much worse in the past."

May gave an exasperated sound, planting her foot and placing a hand on her cocked hip. "There's no need to try to act macho or impress anyone by putting on a brave face. You're lucky to be alive. Better trainers with more experience have been killed by lesser pokemon."

The chuckle Naruto gave as he stopped and regarded her was dry. "Impress you? A bit vain, aren't we? I'll readily admit you're fetching, beautiful even, but impressing some girl isn't high on my list of must do's."

Angry splotches of red stained her lovely skin all the way down to her neck as May sputtered. "I didn't mean it like that!"

Naruto continued as if he hadn't heard her. "Reaching Violet City and earning my third badge, now that's important."

"Stop," May stomped her foot, looking annoyed. "You're hurt," she explained to him as if he were slow in mind. "At the very least clean your wounds. Now you can come willingly, or I'll have Blaziken carry you. Which will it be?"

Naruto stopped as he stepped over one of the smaller trees that had fallen. But instead of being indignant or upset, he wore a foxy smirk that carried a touch of darkness that left her with goosebumps.

"We wouldn't want that," he chuckled. "Tell your fire chicken and giant blue… frog-cat-dog to lead the way."

May's brow scrunched up cutely as she watched the blond hop back over the fallen tree. There were many questions she had about the blond, but none more pressing than the one to break the seal of her pillow-esque lips. "Chicken?"

Naruto sighed, resigned. "Nothing, never mind. Just more poultry from my home land."

AN: When I was young, I'm not sure if it was from the anime or the games, but I remember Scyther being unable to fly. But when researching it, I found they were described as "strong flyers." I was also taken aback by how big Arbok could get, with eleven foot being the average length for the species. I'd also like to explain that Charizard was hurt because it let itself out of its ball and began fighting the swarm all by itself. Between him, Pidgeot, and Yanmega, they didn't have all that much trouble with them.

Lastly, as was hopefully clear in this chapter, just because there is now a pairing doesn't mean they're going to be all over each other or that romance is going to become center focus. I won't lie, I actually enjoy a good love story, and I have no real idea but the smallest inkling how their relationship will play out.

Till next time, remember to review and live easy.


	6. Underbelly of Violet

Title: ROOT

Beta: AEthereal Devastation.

AN: So this chapter we're going to move into some questionable territory. No, just because something is mentioned and addressed, does not mean Naruto is going to do it. I'm not going to say more so as not to spoil anything, but if you have any concerns about anything… odd, don't worry. Also, many have questioned what canon I'm drawing from, the games or anime. The answer is a bit of both. No, there is no Ash, but there is a Red. Whether we'll actually encounter him, however, is another story altogether.

Sorry about the wait on this chapter, recent health problems have wreaked havoc on my life. No, I won't be vague on the subject like many authors are about the subject. I had a stroke. No, there's no punchline. It sucks and I'm dizzy a lot of the time now, which I've never been good at handling. I've only recently gotten to where I can see properly and can walk without falling all over my ass. I was fortunate in that I suffered no permanent damage to my speech, memory, or physically. Updates won't be as quick as they once were, but this story isn't dead—you know, for those of you still interested. I went ahead and threw this one out there just to get something out, partially for the previously mentioned reasons and because I hit a wall with this chapter. That said, I think it's really good. I hope it can make up, at least somewhat, for the wait.

Chapter Six: Underbelly of Violet

Dropping an armful of kindle a few feet from the fire pit, Naruto unclipped three balls from his hip, releasing Staryu, Meowth, and Arbok as he journeyed a dozen or so yards from their makeshift camp.

"Meowth, Arbok, you'll be training together again. For the time being, you're going to be focusing on mastering what techniques you already know instead of learning new attacks."

"You'll once more be improving on your overall aim," he explained to Meowth. "But instead of Dark Pulse or Thunder Bolt, you'll be using Pay Day. More than one opponent recently has shrugged it off as if it's nothing, so you'll be working with it until it's second nature for you to pepper your opponents in the face with it. No matter how powerful or sturdy, an attack at the eyes will leave your opponent vulnerable and open to a broader range of attacks."

The cream-colored cat bobbed her head as she absently kneaded her paws. Arbok's evolution the day before had lit a fire in her which her opponents along the road to Violet City had paid for. She was determined to prove herself the stronger of the two by showing just how ruthless she could be in battle. More than one trainer had complained about her being too aggressive or that her tactics were 'dirty.' Not that the blond cared what anyone thought. Going for an enemy's legs, face, or any other weakness was a tried and true method, one he himself had resorted to on more than one occasion.

"Your transformation left you with greater range and power," he continued, turning his attention upon Arbok. "You have a lot of weapons at your disposal. Glare, Dig, and your venom to name a few, yet you primarily favor Iron Tail, which is fine. However, more than once you've gone to parry a blow only to miss. You'll be using it today to block Pay Day without moving from the center of the clearing. Along with Iron Tail, you may use Poison Sting as well. Like Meowth's Pay Day, I want you to perfect your aim."

Pausing as he heard footsteps behind him, he watched as May strolled into camp with Swampert trotting along at her side, her hair damp from the nearby stream that had seen them make camp for the night. The giant dual-type spotted them before his trainer, breaking off from her side to come sit and watch.

Out of all her pokemon he had seen, Swampert was the one he most envied. The dual-type was a physical powerhouse and was devastating with its Suiton mastery. It had the power to strip the bark from a tree and pulverize stone with a single blast of its Water Gun. Nodding to the water/ground-type, Naruto returned his attention to his own team.

"We'll be working on your other attacks later, but for now this is what I want you both to focus on."

"Thanks for letting me go first," May thanked him in a clipped, even tone that betrayed her annoyance with the stoic blond. He was cold, collected, unresponsive to her efforts to engage him, and was more battle-crazy than most boys his age. She had only ever traveled with a few people in the past, each of which had been a brief, rare occasion, but none had been more exhausting than the blond.

Her grievances with him took a backseat to her pain as she made to sit on her bedroll, giving a pained wince as she crouched down. Swallowing thickly, she sighed, "I felt like I hadn't been clean in days."

Naruto hummed. "I needed to get those two started on their training anyway, and I used the time to build a fire and set up for the night."

Sparing an inquisitive glance for the duo off in the clearing, she pulled Staryu close as it shuffled near, running a hand along its rough, slightly bumpy hide as she asked, "Have you introduced Scyther to the rest of your team yet?"

Naruto shook his head, surprising her when he continued to answer her with more than a grunt of yes or no. "I plan to do it tomorrow morning. Tonight, we're training. I'm taking Cleffa and Staryu with me to the stream… Are you alright?" he added as an afterthought, having watched her struggle to sit.

May bobbed her head, grimacing as the minute motion caused her thighs to ache and tighten uncomfortably. The day before when she had come searching for him, ridding Swampert through the woods without any kind of padding or harness, had left her legs raw and severely bruised. It had made the act of walking an unpleasant one for her. Not that he slowed in his already painfully slow pace. But much to the blond's surprise, not once had she asked him to stop or slow, or even complained about the very real pain she was in.

"I'm fine," she assured him dismissively. "If you'd like, Swampert can lead you to the creek," she offered as Staryu shuddered pleasantly under ministrations.

"I can find it," Naruto declined as he began digging through his bag. "I can smell it from here."

His companion's nose scrunched up as she sniffed the air a time or two, bewildered. "You can't smell water," she denied, sounding uncertain of her declaration.

"No, _you_ can't smell water," he countered flatly as he produced a small canister, which he tossed to her as he motioned for Staryu to follow him. "I can. Fresh, moist earth—petrichor—and the scent of spray from a running brook on a hot-from-the sun rock. Distinctive smells that, if you know what you're looking for, are quite easy to identify."

May regarded him skeptically, attempting to determine whether he was pulling her leg or not. Eventually, she wrote it off as unimportant either way, inspecting the palm-sized canister he'd thrown to her. Opening it, she found a sticky, reddish ointment inside that carried a faintly fruity smell. "What's this?"

"A healing salve. I made it from Sitrus and Spelon berries, and some local herbs I scavenged," he explained absently. "It's my first batch, so I'm not too sure how strong it is. But it should help with your legs."

"You made this?" Naruto nodded. "Wow," May mumbled softly as she took another sniff of his creation.

"I made something similar for Arbok before leaving Goldenrod. It was just before he evolved; he was molting. I have others salves I want to attempt, both for humans and pokemon, but that's the first."

May was momentarily rendered speechless by his resourcefulness before finding her voice. "That's… really impressive. Thank you."

Naruto shrugged as he made for the direction she had come from. Only for her to call him to a stop.

"Give me your hoodie," she ordered with a sigh, giving a distasteful look at the mention of the hideous top he never took off.

The blond arched an eyebrow at the demand. "Excuse me?"

"I have to design and make all of my outfits for my contests. If you're going to keep wearing that… thing, the least I can do is stitch it for you." He had changed clothes after his run in with Scyther the day before and even that morning, but refused to upset Cleffa by taking off the fairy's makeshift hammock for more than a few minutes at a time.

Naruto eyed her blankly before nodding. "Thanks," he said as he set Cleffa on the ground and pulled the orange hoodie off over his head. Shirt having ridden up, he frowned at the cherry-faced coordinator as he pulled his top down and handed his stolen hoodie over.

"You alright?"

May nodded, refusing to look him in the face. "I can also trim your hair if you'd like." After his run in with the swarm, his blond locks looked as if, well, a Scyther had cut his hair. Naruto didn't care much one way or another, but it must have been bad if she was offering to trim it.

"Tomorrow maybe. Tonight, I just want to get cleaned off," he lied. With another 'thanks' tossed over his shoulder, he disappeared from camp, whispering to Cleffa as he went. "I have a move for you to learn, but first I'll need to recall you. Can you be a big girl and handle that?" he asked softly, ignoring the burn lingering in his cheeks and as he caught himself using 'cutesy' tone with the fairy.

Cleffa, who had latched onto his hand and refused to release it as she did on occasion, gave a gentle chirr as she cuddled into his warmth. Without breaking stride, the blond recalled the tiny fae and fitted the TM-belt about her ball. Even as the glow signifying success abated, he shrunk it with a tap of his finger and returned it to his hips.

He did in fact want to wash up and intended to use this chance to begin familiarizing Cleffa with Gravity, but first he was going to reintroduce himself to Scyther. It was better to do so away from May in case he needed to reaffirm he was stronger than Scyther. While he was sure Meowth, Arbok, and even Staryu could defeat the dual-type if they were careful—it was by far the fastest and most aggressive of those they had faced—he needed the bug/flying-type to respect him first and foremost. Otherwise it would never heed his commands.

Scyther was an incredible pokemon, especially without any formal training. It was faster than Meowth and even Whitney's Miltank, and its frightening scythes made it a threat to most any opponent. But if it was ever going to meet its full potential, it would first need to be taught the kind of humility that the blond doubted the insect had learned when it had been caught.

"You can either stay and introduce yourself to Scyther, or you can go ahead and get a start on learning Camouflage, the choice is yours." Besides Cleffa, Staryu was the only member of his team who would be learning a new attack at present. This along with working on its fledgling psychic abilities and mastering Minimize was what he would have it focusing on while they traveled to Violet City.

Staryu screeched, giving a full body shudder as it ignored the water a dozen or so yards away. The creek and the very air carried a faint tint of green, not from pollution or runoff, but the sun filtering through the dense greenery. Gnarled, grandfatherly trees jutted from the shallows, creating patches of shade that left the depths with a permanent chill that belied the warmth on the air as the mildness of spring made the transition to what would be a harsh summer. Yet the water-type remained by his side.

With a small nod to Staryu, earning a warm glow from its gem, Naruto released Scyther. The insect appeared with its back to him, its tall, five-foot three form—only a few inches shorter than Naruto—hunched slightly as it sharpened its scythes on one another, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings, eagle-eyed and vigilant.

Naruto remained silent as he watched the dual-type chatter and click into the air, calling to a swarm that had likely moved on since its capture. Eventually, after allowing it to gather its bearings, he cleared his throat to draw its attention. Instantly, it responded with a hiss, turning its reptilian features upon him with a glare of loathing.

Scyther's blades glowed a long and luminous crimson, Swords Dance, as it tapped them together before launching at him. Yet it wasn't Naruto who responded to the attack, but Staryu with a torrent of water full on in its face. As the insect recoiled, Staryu threw itself forward, using water-shuriken—what Naruto had taken to calling the combination of Minimize, Water-gun, and Rapid Spin—crashing into Scyther's hardened exoskeleton with a great, hollow impact that sent it crashing onto its back.

Landing with a mighty screech, Staryu finally received its chance to use its newest attack, its gem giving a brilliant glow as a trio of orbs formed before it, one an icy blue, one a miniature inferno, and the last a ball of barely contained lightning. All three fired at once, a beam of ice, fire, and lightning, each a weakness of Scyther's, giving a mighty crack as the three elements combined and struck the reeling bug. But Staryu wasn't done, its circular gem suffusing with blue energy as it flexed its psychic capabilities and used Psywave on the stunned dual-type.

"And here I thought I didn't play fair," Naruto mumbled to Staryu as he called it off. "Go ahead and work on Camouflage. I can handle it from here."

The water-type gave a final screech as it threw itself into the nearby stream.

"You'll have to forgive Staryu," he explained in a conversational tone as he walked up next to Scyther, who was already attempting to rise from the harsh on slot. It gave a shudder, bits of ice still clinging to its exoskeleton alongside blackened scorch marks and the after effects of lightning flooding its nervous system. "It has a bit of a chip on its metaphorical shoulder at the moment. Staryu recently experienced its first loss and it has been left feeling a tad vindictive. I'm sure you can understand."

Scyther managed a hiss, its anger driving it to rise to its feet. The papery hum of its wings beating faster than the eye could follow filled the air like the song of a cicada as it swiped at the blond's face only to connect with nothing but empty space. From behind, Naruto took its legs out from under it, pinning it to the ground with the press of a pair of kunai under its delicate wings.

"You're smart," Naruto explained, adding a bit of pressure when Scyther made to throw him. "Right now, you're realizing that you're outmatched. Meowth and Arbok beat your entire swarm, Staryu just handed you your ass, and now you're at the mercy of a human. But what I think you fail to understand is that you're not weak. We're just that strong."

Getting up, Naruto danced away as Scyther slung itself around, slashing wildly in an attempt to cut, maim, and kill the human who was nowhere to be found. The blond lashed out with a powerful kick, catching Scyther between the wings and sending it sprawling before disappearing once more.

"Look at you," Naruto's disembodied voice drifted to Scyther as it jumped to its feet, spinning about wildly in search of him, slashing at shadows and the slightest sound. "Acting like a mindless beast. I can help you be so much more than that. Make you a force that all of Johto and even the world will respect."

Naruto stepped out of the shadows, the picture of stoicism as the bug bore down on him. Scyther purred as its bladed-appendage met flesh, but was shocked as its prey gave an audible pop and disappeared. Giving a growl, it turned in time to watch as countless copies of the human stepped into the light. Scyther froze, confused into inaction by the sight.

"I can make you so much stronger than you are now," the original Naruto explained, arms spread non-threateningly as he entered a patch of blood-red light given off by the dying sun. "I'm only human, yet I'm able to stand toe-to-toe with a creature as powerful as yourself. Imagine how strong you could be if you let me help you."

Scyther was breathing heavily after its frenzy. It watched with guarded, dark eyes as the human approached, seemingly unafraid of an attack that even Scyther didn't know if it was going to launch.

"Do as I say and I'll make you strong. Disobey me and every day will be spent with my team and I tearing you apart, showing you the kind of power you could have had but were too stubborn to accept." Holding out his pokeball, Naruto expected to be made to wait for the bug's response, a final act of defiance. But with a long hiss and a hard look, Scyther tapped the button with one of its scythes.

Sighing, Naruto placed Scyther's ball back on his hip as he made for the creek, disposing of his clothes with every step he took. He really needed to get a start working on Gravity with Cleffa, but first he was going to take a dip and rid himself of the filth that accumulated from travel.

ROOT

"Professor Elm," sighed the park ranger, the annoyed furrow marring his brow melting into one of relief. "You answered!"

"Yes, yes," Elm sighed, waving an impatient hand for the man to continue. "If you could be succinct, I'm quite busy at the moment."

Both affronted and annoyed, he had been attempting to reach the professor for almost two weeks after all, he hurried to explain himself. "Then I won't keep you long. Until just recently, the park was experiencing some troubles from a local group of Scyther. A shift in leadership amongst the swarm saw them migrating from their established territory. A move that saw them encountering and attacking guests of the park."

Interest peaked, Elm absently adjusted his glasses as he questioned him. "As fascinating as the hierarchy of a Scyther swarm may be, I see no reason why this should interest me? If you're requesting aid with your situation, you would have been better served contacting Goldenrod or the League."

"It's not the swarm that has me calling, Professor. Not really. In the past two weeks, they've retreated to their former territory," he hastened to explain. "The reason for my call is because someone captured the head of the swarm and did quite the number on the group as a whole."

"Do you know who's responsible?"

The man shook his head. "I know you can research trainers and their teams, and we were hoping you would look into your files and see if you can narrow down who it was that captured the head Scyther? There can't have been that many trainers who've caught a Scyther almost exactly two weeks ago."

"I'm sorry, but I won't," Elm shook his head firmly. "Such information is protected under the agreement trainers sign when receiving their first pokemon. Unless there is an official investigation, my hands are bound. I'm sorry." The man didn't need to know that he could conduct such an investigation should he feel there was significant cause, or even if the fancy took him. Revealing as much was how people started asking for favors and he truly was a very busy individual.

"Whoever captured that Scyther came close to permanently crippling half the swarm," the man contested hotly. "There are no less than six who are currently in the custody of the park recuperating from their injuries."

"And are they expected to?" Elm inquired before clarifying. "Heal that is?"

Pokemon were naturally resilient. They could sustain injuries that would spell the end of a human and be back on their feet in a few weeks, if not days. Which Elm expected was the case here, or the park's rangers would have skipped calling him and contacted the League directly.

The man on the other end nodded tersely. "It's been slow, but they show all the signs of making a full recovery."

"Then there's no case to be made for an investigation," Elm explained matter-of-factly. "Should their condition worsen, feel free to contact me."

Without waiting to hear more, Elm ended the call. Sighing once more, he returned to his research. Yet after reading the same paragraph a third time and failing to retain anything, he found himself researching the very information he had spoken to the warden about.

And how could he not? The report had intrigued him.

ROOT

"Are you sure you're ready? They're going to try and harm you," Naruto reminded the fairy. Though he would never admit as much, the blond was worried about the prospect of Cleffa's first battle. They had been training for this moment for weeks, and now that they were less than a day out from Violet city, the skill level of the trainers they were encountering had taken a noticeable dive for the worse. For this reason alone, he was allowing her to fight.

"Hey!" The kid who had challenged him made a sullen, impatient face, kicking at the ground moodily. "Are we going to battle, or are you going to keep whispering to the fluff ball?"

Naruto, who was reassuring Cleffa that she could wait if she wasn't ready, scowled at the older boy. It was a hard look devoid of warmth and sent the offending teen taking hurried step back. "Shut your mouth," Naruto ordered evenly before turning back to the fairy.

Tickling her along the chin, he continued. "Just do like we practiced and you should have no problem with this waste of a trainer, okay?"

Cleffa chirred affectionately as she bounced onto the field. May, who was the referee, smiled at the sight, though something told the blond her amusement had more to do with him and his overprotectiveness than it did the fae. Across the dirt road serving as their battle field stood a bright eyed Poliwag, its spherical body and awkward, little feet making for a comical sight

"Water-gun," shouted their opponent confidently once May called a start to the match.

Poliwag's pink lips formed an 'o' as it followed its trainer's command, betraying its inexperience by shooting only a quick spurt of water before severing the stream. Inexperienced or not, Cleffa still found herself taking the hit full on. The pressure threw the tiny fae from her feet with a squeak.

"Again, Polly! Water-gun!"

"Jump," Naruto urged. "Get out of the way and use Charm!" Like her special ability, Charm was pheromone based, but unlike Cute Charm, which required physical contact, the attack impregnated the air with a potent, intoxicating scent that was nearly irresistible to members of the opposite sex.

Disregarding physics with her leaps, a wet and uncharacteristically annoyed Cleffa shuddered, producing a faint, pink-hued cloud from her body that disappeared on the air. Poliwag blinked rapidly as it unknowingly inhaled the pheromones, shaking its head wildly as if to clear it of a fog.

"Pound," Naruto ordered with a smirk. Poliwag stared longingly at Cleffa, frozen into inaction by the effects of Charm. "Follow with Sweet Kiss!"

"Polly, use Water-gun!" The trainer growled, his earlier bravado nowhere to be found. "Keep it away!" But it was too late.

Cleffa loped forward, rearing back with a glowing hand, and slapping the water-type for all she was worth. Without giving it a chance to flee, Cleffa brushed her glowing lips along Poliwag's cheek. The effects of Sweet Kiss occurred instantaneously as she hopped away unhurriedly.

Poliwag stumbled about as if it were blind, deaf to the cries of its trainer, confused. Without warning, it began to attack randomly, firing Water-gun into the trees and sky and almost using Bubble on May, who was quick to move to safety.

"Let's finish this," Naruto ordered with a soft, genuine smile. Enviable blue eyes uncharacteristically warm, he motioned May back as he did so. "Gravity."

Waving her stubby arms, eyes taking on a blue hue, Cleffa chirped loudly as she hopped into the air. It took a moment for the attack to take effect, but as the gravity on the road gradually grew more oppressive, there was no hope of the addle-minded water-type, or its loud mouth trainer escaping.

Though she had learned it through a Technique Machine, Gravity was an advanced psychic-technique that required countless hours of practice to master. At present, it took Cleffa more time than was advisable to use it in battle and her control left much to be desired, as was shown by the trainer who had been forced onto his hands and knees, screaming for the blond to call her off.

"Good job." Naruto caught the fairy with a chuckle as she leapt into his arms, cuddling into his chest as he used his sleeve to dry her damp fur. "You won."

May approached the two with a knowing smile. "You seem unusually pleasant," she observed.

"Yup."

"She got you with Charm, didn't she?"

"She did," he admitted, shamelessly bouncing Cleffa in his arms.

"I thought as much," she nodded, eyeing the two speculatively. "Your battle with Whitney inspired you. She uses the same tactic with her Clefairy and Clefable."

"She's the one who gave me Gravity," he revealed as he waited for his opponent to approach. Said teen was livid, having managed to return to his feet with an angry huff, storming toward them as he recalled Poliwag.

"Really?" May mused pensively. "You must have really impressed her. I've never heard of her giving gifts to trainers who beat her. Expect for her number on occasion," she added, only half joking.

Naruto chuckled, the sound scratchy and foreign, but in no way unpleasant to the ear. As was his willingness to answer a direct question. Even after two and half weeks of traveling together, the only thing she had learned about him was that he was from somewhere other than Johto. She had only learned as much from something he had said in passing.

"I prefer the TM," Naruto revealed with Charm-inspired honesty. "I don't think I'm man enough to handle that kind of attention from someone like your friend."

"And what does that mean?" she inquired with an arched eyebrow, unsure whether to be offended on her friend's behalf or not.

"Your friend screamed man eater," he answered bluntly. "That's just too much woman for one man. Or at least for me."

May's response was cut off by the incensed rantings of the losing trainer. "What the hell was that?!" he spat, near on puce in the face with rage. Realizing how much taller he was than the blond, he tried for intimidation, fists clinched and charging forward as if he might swing. "That stupid fuzzball attacked me!"

Naruto's good mood wasn't effected in the least by his tone or attitude, which in turn made both worse. "Sorry about that. Cleffa's young and still training. That was our fault."

"Damn right it was," he seethed. "If you can't control that pink menace, you need to have it put down!"

May stood silently by as the older boy attempted to rile up the blond, curious to see how the kid who had taken on a base full of criminals by himself would react. She was surprised when he continued to smile even as the other boy invaded the blond's personal space, silently wondering how much of what she was seeing was the blond's normal temperament and how much of it was a result of Charm. She was content to continue to sit back and observe until, that was, the offending trainer crossed the line.

She was by no means delicate. While first and foremost a coordinator, over the past four years she and her team had traveled to far off regions and fought countless battles, both against trainers and threats infinitely more dangerous. And though she wasn't all that strong physically, she still managed to put the larger teen on his ass with a firm shove.

"How dare you," she growled, advancing on him. As he attempted to stand, she kicked him back down, uncaring if she hurt him or not. "Do you have any idea what it's like to lose a pokemon?"

It was Naruto's turn to stand back as his companion unloaded on the trainer. He was just thankful she had interrupted when she had. The trainer had struck too close for comfort to one of Danzo's old rules, disposing of those he couldn't control. Charm or not, the blond had been seconds away from doing something that would have landed him in hot water, but was quite literally beat to the punch.

Naruto was fine with letting the brunette take out her frustration, but decided to intervene when it became clear the commotion was upsetting Cleffa. Still in a fairly good mood, despite having contemplated murder only moments before, he snaked an arm about her slim waist, lifting her into a bridal carry as he continued on down the road. Blushing to the roots of her hair, May sputtered indignantly as she attempted to free herself.

"Let me go," she demanded, using both her hands to try and pry his callused, warm hands from her body with little success.

"You're both crazy!" the downed trainer yelled after them.

Naruto ignored him as he addressed May. "Calm down. You're upsetting Cleffa."

Given her position in his arms, May was forced to peek awkwardly over her shoulder to see that said fairy had ducked into her pouch. "Alright! I'm good!" she promised moodily, most of her anger having disappeared when she realized he was right.

"Are you done yelling?"

"Yes, yes," she snapped, wiggling in his hold in an effort to make him hurry. "Put me down!" As he did as he was told, she shrugged him off, fussing over her clothes so as not to have to look at him.

Outfit as perfect as one could hope for while traveling, a fuming May glanced in her companion's direction, annoyed by his whisker-marked face and the not unattractive tilt on his lips.

ROOT

It was a Pokemon Center on the opposite side of the city from where he had stayed last time that he and May found lodging. Without needing to be told, the Nurse Joy on duty somehow knew they were traveling together, presenting them with a key to a two-trainer room.

It was in complete silence that they trekked up to the third floor, where their room was located, and began unpacking their belongings. Since her outburst, little had been said by either, partially because of her embarrassment and that his willingness to talk had vanished along with the effects of Cute Charm.

"I'm going to go see if there are any video phones free," May announced as she pushed her bag under her bed with her foot. "After everything that's happened, Lisia and the others insisted I keep regular contact."

Naruto hummed in understanding, stepping out behind her and following her downstairs. "We're going to train."

Parting ways in the lobby, Naruto made his way outside and around back of the Pokemon Center, where trainers looking for a battle could normally be found gathered. Yet what he found instead was a man and a teenage girl who he recognized from his last visit to Violet City.

Between the two, hovering over a ravaged field, was a Alakazam that clearly belonged to the male half of the mismatched duo. The powerful psychic clutched a pair of normal, everyday spoons, which it had crossed, producing a perfectly round shield made of pure psychic energy. Its large, listless eyes scanned the scarred and pocked earth, searching for any sign of its allusive opponent.

"I'd expect nothing less from a trainer of your caliber," the man broke the heavy, tangible silence, his voice cultured and honeyed. He wore an expensive suit of a peculiar shade of purple and a short, snow-white cape that hung about his shoulders. "You could make a fortune in the tower. Anything you've ever desired could be yours. All without bearing the weight of judgmental eyes."

Hilda's answer came in the form of a snap of her fingers. From the ground behind Alakazam emerged a massive, dark-hide crocodile. It smashed through the psychic's shields as if they were nonexistent, maw full of deadly, razor-sharp teeth aglow with electricity. Alakazam flexed its spoons, picking up a large chunk of earth that had been displaced by its opponent earlier in their battle and hurled it with its mind at the reptile. But it was too late.

Krookodile's powerful jaws latched down with bone shattering force, ensnaring the psychic with its electrified bite. Giving a violent shake of its head that left Alakazam imitating a rag doll, the dark/ground-type slung the psychic into the path of the boulder it had thrown.

"Such ferocity," the man mused fondly as he recalled the defeated psychic. "Come with me. Your talents are being wasted challenging gyms. With power like yours, there's so much more you could accomplish."

"Not interested," Hilda replied flatly, recalling Krookodile and making to leave, never seeing the blond shinobi who had disappeared with a chameleon jutsu. "Stop following me," she warned. "You've wasted enough of my time trying to lure me to your tower. I won't be so nice next time."

The unnamed man stood in silence, staring after Hilda long after she had disappeared. Running a hand through his slick, over-stylized hair, he sent a subtle smile in the direction of his shadow. "We'll get her another day."

From the depths of his shadow formed a pair of devilish, crimson eyes and a wide, cruel, inhuman smile. The terrible visage vanished almost immediately, leaving Naruto wondering if what he had seen had been a trick of the light or his imagination getting the better of him.

Curiosity piqued, the blond, still under the effects of his chameleon jutsu, trailed the mysterious man into the night. With chakra suffused steps, he leapt from the side of one building to another, avoiding the masses of late-night commuters all together as he followed the older man halfway across Violet City. Before they had ever reached their destination, Naruto had an inkling of suspicion which 'tower' it was they were headed for.

Sprout Tower was the largest wooden structure in all of Violet City. The pagoda was reinforced by a mighty, flexible pillar that ran through the entirety of its center, which protected it from earthquakes and hurricane force winds, but that left the structure with a slight sway that for first time visitors or anyone not familiar with the type of architecture could be unnerving. Naruto had visited the tower the first time he visited the city, having heard rumors that powerful ghost-types haunted its many floors. But what he found instead was a tourist draw, a place where old monks liked to sit around meditating and reflecting on the, in his opinion, pointlessness of life

Sticking to the walls, Naruto followed him inside, staying as close as was possible. Naruto spent half an hour watching his target wandering about the lowest floor, taking in the architecture and people watching. Eventually, the blonde began to second guess himself, wondering if he had been too quick to jump to conclusions. Not every lead could bear fruit, after all.

Contemplating leaving and getting in some training before the next morning—when he planned to challenge Falkner—the appearance of one of the tower's many monks captured his attention before he could take his leave. The man was by far the oldest of his brotherhood. Where the others were relatively young, his face was lined with wrinkles and an impressive beard the color of virgin snow.

"Elder Li."

Said monk inclined his head respectfully to the younger man. Siding up next to him, Li spared him a pensive look before speaking in a low, even tone that Naruto had difficulty making out. "You're late, Eusine. Did she put up more of a fight than you expected?"

Eusine chuckled. "She defeated me quite easily. Poor Alakazam was in no condition to be teleporting me about. I had to walk back."

Elder Li shared in his amusement, laughing. "Good. If she were any less of a trainer, she'd be of no use to us."

"And Dervish?" Eusine inquired, casting a glance about the room to assure they weren't being overhead. "Did he confirm anything?"

"As expected, the Earl was reluctant at first, claiming he was above such 'uncouth' and 'loutish' behavior. Yet after going through half a bottle of sake and introducing him to our finest Espeon, he was all too… eager to divulge how far Burnet was in her research."

"And?" Eusine prodded, unable to keep his voice devoid of his desire for answers.

"It's as we suspected, the pokemon they unearthed was indeed a Bronzong. They plan to begin their experiments in the coming weeks," Elder Li finished tersely.

Grim faced, Eusine hissed. "Damn it."

"We'll need to move sooner rather than later if we're going to protect everything we've built here." Elder Li took a cautious step closer to Eusine as he continued. "Perhaps we should abandon our current course and move on to more… heavy handed methods where Professor Burnet is concerned."

Eusine didn't comment, instead he stared unseeingly off into space. "For now, we'll stick to our original plan. The death of such a respected mind would draw the kind of attention we've been attempting to avoid."

"As you wish." The elder monk bowed once more before disappearing back upstairs.

For a brief time, Eusine remained where Li left him, looking to all the world as if he were lost in the elegance and beauty of the swaying tower. Yet Naruto knew better, could read the unease in his eyes and in the rigid planes of his shoulders.

With a furtive glance about his surroundings, Eusine made for a corner of the tower that, unlike the rest of the packed first floor, was conspicuously empty. Bewildered but suspicious, Naruto watched him like a hawk as he maneuvered through the crowd from his perch in the rafters.

Eusine exited the press of bodies with a repulsed grimace, pausing long enough to whistle a peculiar tune before stepping forward and vanishing from sight. The blond nearly fell from the ceiling as he glared at where Eusine had disappeared.

Creeping along the exposed beams and woodwork, Naruto positioned himself over the spot from where he vanished, searching for a latch or trap door, anything that could explain what he had seen, or more accurately, what he missed. Still obscured from view by way of the Meisaigakure no Jutsu, he positioned himself at the exact point where he had last seen Eusine and dropped to the floor.

Judging a fall was a lot like measuring a step, most did so unconscious of the fact. And when one's foot passed through open air instead of completing a step, it was a lot like when Naruto, instead landing in a crouch, passed right through the floor. The blond had only long enough to realize something was amiss before he completed his fall, everything from his shoulders up protruding from a floor that wasn't really there.

Knowing an illusion when he stepped in one and certain he had stumbled upon a hidden passage, he blindly descended a single step at a time, splitting his attention between the unknown below and the crowds on the first floor who for some unseen reason were avoiding the most interesting part of the tower.

When his head dipped below the illusionary floor, the mirage disappeared altogether, revealing a set of steps that descended deep into the bowels of Sprout Tower and a duo of pokemon standing guard at the top of the stairs. One could have passed for one of the deer the Nara tended for, with a pair of large, attractive antlers that possessed a strange black orb at their center that was reminiscent of an eye. The other was a Haunter, one of the pokemon he had come to the tower previously in search of.

With a glance over his shoulder to make sure no one was coming up the stairs, he freed his pokedex and pointed it toward the reindeer.

"Stantler, the Big Horn Pokemon. Its curved antlers subtly alter the flow of air to create startlingly realistic illusions."

Two pokemon capable of creating illusions, standing over a passage that Eusine clearly wanted to remain a secret. It didn't take a great leap of the mind for the blond to put two and two together. Without so much as a backward glance, he followed the steps down into the unknown.

During his time as a ROOT operative, Naruto had frequented his fair share of bars, casinos, and brothels. The abundance of vices that flowed freely-alcohol, drugs, the rush of adrenalin that came with the highs and lows of gambling, and the addiction of flesh upon flesh-could lower the inhibitions of even the most tight-lipped individual.

Yet the pit of debauchery he found himself in was different from any other he had ever set foot in before. Scantily clad to outright naked women strutted about, touting trays of drinks and recreational items while pressing affectionately into the sides of patrons, all of whom ranged in age from those in their twilight years to teenagers a few years older than himself.

Gambling tables dotted the room, where games, both those he was familiar with from his world and those he had never seen, were being played. Spectators stood around deep pits exchanging bets and cheering as they watched pokemon brutalize and maim each other for their entertainment. Around the edges of the room, those seeking skin had gathered. The inebriated loudly boasted about their wealth and skills as trainers to groups of pretty, young women who hung on to their every word as if they were the most interesting thing they had ever heard.

Most bizarre were those pressing and brushing affectionately, longingly against various pokemon—closer and more wantonly than they would have dared or would have been tolerated in the light of day.

Naruto witnessed all this without setting foot from stairs. Releasing the Meisaigakure no Jutsu, as the best way to obtain information in such a setting was from right underneath the noses of the unsuspecting, he brushed through the crowd without a set direction in mind.

The stench of unwashed flesh mixed with that of smoke and alcohol. Jutsu or not, the inhabitants were blind to his presence. He moved freely about them as if he belonged, observing them as they indulged with reckless abandon and eavesdropping on their conversations.

"Who's next!?"

Naruto found himself as one of many, watching as a lanky, pinch-faced man in his mid-twenties cawed in victory to the crowd. A single glance into the pit next to him revealed a large, horned canine standing over the smoldering, charred remains of some unidentifiable opponent.

On the opposite end of the pit stood another, the trainer of the incinerated corpse. Instead of being angry or upset at the loss of his pokemon, he looked only slightly put off as staff members made their way into the pit to remove the remains.

"No one can handle Houndoom's heat!"

Having seen enough, Naruto made to move on, intent on making the discovery he had stumbled upon a worthwhile one in some form. Yet before he could exit the circle, his lack of interest in the winner drew said man's attention.

"How about you, kid? You're too young to know what to do with the other entertainment around here, let's see if you can battle."

Naruto's first instinct was to decline. The need to maintain a low profile was imperative. But all semblance of stealth was lost as a pair of rough hands on his back shoved him toward the pit and the rat faced trainer. Smirking patronizingly, Houndoom's trainer waved him forward as the crowd grew more raucous.

"Death matches?" Naruto inquired as he watched the remains of the last challenger were carted from the pit.

Rat face nodded, sporting a shit eating grin. "High stakes as well. You got the cash to play with the big boys?"

Knowing if he were to try and leave now, the crowd would make the hasty transition to a mob that would just draw further attention to himself, he withdrew his pokedex.

"Houndoom, the Dark Pokemon and the evolved form of Houndour. The flames it breathes when angry contains toxins. If they cause a burn, it will forever hurt."

Naruto eyed the massive canine speculatively. As expected, it was a fire-type of considerable ability. It's natural disposition as a dark-type would have made the prospect of a normal battle with the creature an unpleasant one. Add in the potential toxicity of its flames and that all regulations and rules were likely to be out the window and Naruto was questioning whether or not he should risk that someone had already committed his face to memory and run for it.

"Nice toy, kid," chuckled the older man as Naruto pocketed the dex. "But hurry up and chose your pokemon."

Naruto's first instinct was to use Staryu. The water-type would have the advantage in typing and was a powerful, swift hitter. Normally this would have been enough for him to send the star in. Yet he couldn't help but to question whether or not it would be able to kill. He was well aware that pokemon were closer in mindset to animals than humans when it came to killing. But as he watched the dual-type lumber about, back and forth, a part of him was fearful the starfish might not survive the fight.

Ignoring the chanting and jeering to hurry, he released Scyther at his side instead of in the pit with Houndoom. The room filled with appreciative murmuring at the bug's appearance. The dual-type took in the club and atmosphere, chattering aggressively as its eyes eventually came to rest upon the skeleton-themed dog.

"You're weak to its flames and it will be aiming to kill you… slowly," he informed the insect evenly. Though he had spent the past two weeks training with him, Scyther had yet to have its first match. Not because Naruto lacked faith in its abilities, but for fear that it didn't possess the proper restraint to compete in an official battle. Most pokemon didn't have thick exoskeletons like the other Scyther and hardy bug-types it was used to battling against. A strike from its blade-like appendages could spell disaster for some unfortunate pokemon whose trainer wasn't smart enough to act with caution.

Scyther was too dangerous, almost to the point of being a hindrance.

"If you get burned by its flames, there's a good chance the damage will be permanent. Possibly even crippling.," Naruto continued, earning Scyther's attention. "But you're fast. Faster than some mutt. If you don't feel comfortable challenging him, then we can leave and never look back. I won't be angry or hold it against you."

Scyther's answer was to glare down at Houndoom, its papery wings humming as he began to beat them faster than the eye could trace.

"Don't show your full speed right away," Naruto instructed. "If you're about to be burned, get away at all costs. And if you see an opening, take its head."

Going in, Naruto suspected the match wouldn't be like a normal pokemon battle. This assumption was proven correct the instant Scyther leapt into the pit. The dual-type was forced to abandon Naruto's instructions from the start. There was no one serving as referee or official call to begin, just a wall of fire that nearly ended the match before it begun.

It was a sight to see, Scyther sprinting along the walls of the pit, beating its wings to propel itself forward as an inferno nipped at his heels. Coming level with the fire/dark type's head, Scyther pivoted hard, launching himself directly at Houndoom. Still spouting a steady stream of fire too intense to be a simple Flamethrower, the hound redirected the attack to catch the insect in the face, only for multiple copies of Scyther to appear.

Houndoom growled, catching one of the illusions with Inferno and making to do the same with the rest of the Double Team copies. But before it could, a vacuum-like wind ripped it from its feet.

"Behind you!" Bellowed Houndoom's trainer, more angry than concerned. "Flame Charge!"

The real Scyther had already launched himself at Houndoom's back and was unprepared for the canine to use the momentum of Vacuum Wave to empower its retaliation. The cutting winds tore at Houndoom's lean, muscled form, strengthening the flame that had engulfed its body. With devastating force, Houndoom tackled Scyther mid-air. Determined to leave his own mark, Scyther slashed blindly at his opponent as he was sent slamming into the wall, catching the fire-type along its narrow chest.

"Swords Dance," Naruto ordered, speaking for the first time since the battle's impromptu beginning. He was suddenly very glad he had chosen Scyther for this battle. Though susceptible to intense heat, if his exoskeleton were burned, he was less likely to experience any permanent harm than Staryu.

"Kill the bug! Fire Blast!"

Naruto frowned, having heard of the powerful attack before. "Shunshin!"

Scyther clanged its glowing scythes together as it disappeared in a blur of speed. Fire Blast shook the pit and disrupted the remaining illusions, dispersing them. With a combination of Quick Attack and Agility—Shunshin as they had taken to calling it—Scyther blurred around the arena, darting in close a time or two attempting to swipe at Houndoom. Yet each time, the dark-type was ready, keeping him at bay with a liberal use of Fire Blast and sending the temperature within the pit skyrocketing.

"Repeat." It was difficult standing back, watching the bug fight when he knew he could end the fight with a well-aimed kunai. He betrayed his unease by standing on the edge of the pit, closer to the flames than anyone else.

Moving much faster than before, Scyther once more used Double Team, creating twice as many clones as previously. The copies rushed Houndoom, only to meet a fiery death. The canine was too busy fending off phantom attacks to notice the real Scyther once more attempting to suck him into his grasp. Vacuum Wave ripped him from his feet and into the path of Scyther's awaiting blade. But Houndoom was prepared for this tactic, using its wiry, ambidextrous tail to catch his scythe, jerking the bug off-balance and placing itself in the perfect position to attack its unguarded back.

"Get away!" Unaccustomed to the tactic, Shunshin put Scyther under a considerable amount of strain. Knowing the rapidly raising temperature wouldn't be doing them any favors, it was clear they needed to end the battle as soon as possible.

Scyther let out a strangle, gargled scream as Houndoom latched onto one of its papery wings with its electrified and flame filled mouth.

"Cut it down!"

Scyther ripped itself free of Houndoom's jaws with a great lurch, swiping blindly at the wire-like appendage bound about its arm. A pained howl escaped Houndoom as the dual-type freed itself, severing its tail with a slice of its scythe. Yet the damage had been done.

Even from his place outside the pit, Naruto could make out the damage done to the insect's wing. The thin, transparent membrane had been shredded. While not completely torn, there was enough damage that Naruto knew getting him to the Pokemon Center as quickly as possible was now his main priority.

"Focus!" Houndoom's trainer snapped. The dual-type was no longer concerned with where Scyther was. Its attention lay with the weeping wound that had previously been its tail. "Sear the wound and kill the bug!"

If Houndoom hadn't been angry before, it was now livid. The massive hound spat a plume of flame that cauterized its stub of a tail, scanning the pit with narrowed eyes that promised prolonged suffering.

"End it! Mirage!"

Having retreated across the pit, a in pain Scyther hissed as it once more used Double Team. The arena filled with an illusionary swarm that fell upon Houndoom like an emerald tide. But the dual-type had anticipated as much. Inferno spewed from its thin, black lips as it spun about in for the inevitable attack at its rear.

It never saw the real Scyther descending upon him from above, its injured wing beating furiously.

"Up! Above you!"

Houndoom was well trained, throwing its head back without pause or breaking the steady stream of flame. But Scyther was already there. Talons slicing into its haunches and drawing bloody furrows, the insect buried one of its scythes deep into Houndoom's back as the other sent its head tumbling to the floor.

Naruto was moving even before the roar of excitement went up through the crowd. Recalling Scyther, who was still perched on the headless corpse, hissing in victory, he quickly made his way into the crowd, heading for the bookmakers to collect his winnings, dismissing congratulations as fast as possible.

It takes mere moments to get his winnings from the bookmakers, finding that the odds against him led to a substantial payout, and the money vanishes into his pocket in a heartbeat before he makes his way out of the stadium, turning invisible as he rushes for the stairs. He needed to get Scyther to Nurse Joy… and figure out what kind of excuse to give for his pokemon's condition.

AN: _NO_. Naruto isn't going to hook up with a pokemon. Not judging anyone who likes that sort of stuff—to each their own—but no. He doesn't condone those who do, but there are more important things than sex on his mind. The Earl on the other hand, for those of you who couldn't read between the lines, was all too eager for some time alone with the psychic-type. And in note to a review last chapter that said the world felt smaller since it was so connected, I feel like the poke-world is much more connected and wired than you see in the anime. Gym Leaders are going to know one another and there will be files kept of important information such as which pokemon a trainer has caught.

And lastly, send AEthereal Devastation your thanks. I was giving some real thought to giving that battle a more permanent ending for Scyther. He made me see how foolish that would be on so many levels. Hope you guys enjoyed it and that there's still an audience for this story. And once more, I apologize for the delay.


	7. Bows, Birds, and Spooks

Title: ROOT

Beta: AEthereal Devastation.

AN: A big thank you to those who returned after my hiatus and wished me well. Here's hoping things progress more smoothly from here on out. I'd like to take this chance to mention I have a second pokemon story that I'll be posting either this weekend or next week sometime called "Back to Basics." It's not a crossover and focuses on a mature, accomplished Ash as he's forced to begin his journey anew after tragedy strikes. No, he's not damaged in the way Naruto is. There isn't going to be any pokemon abuse. But I do feel it is an excellent story. On par, if not better, than ROOT. I hope you'll check it out.

And now that I've whored myself out, let the next chapter of ROOT begin!

Chapter Seven: Bows, Birds, and Spooks

Hooking his legs over the edge of the bed, Naruto slid to his feet. A glance at the bed adjacent to his own revealed his traveling companion had risen with the sun.

It had been well after midnight before he had returned to the Pokémon Center and later still before he had trudged up to their shared room. Unsurprisingly, the brunette had already been asleep when he had arrived.

Pushing to his feet, he made his way over to Meowth, who was asleep by the open window. Crouching down, he snagged his Hive and Plain badge from where she had left them on the floor while playing. Placing them on the seal next to her, he ran a hand along her head before breezing into the bathroom.

Having showered before crashing the night before, he skipped taking a second and threw on a fresh change of clothes. Taking a mint that left his breath wintery fresh, he beckoned to Meowth, silently leading her down to the lobby.

With a city as large Violet, there were always people mingling about in the Pokémon Center. It was no different this morning. Naruto was forced to stand in line for more than fifteen minutes before he could speak with the aide on duty.

"I'm sorry," she said in greeting, recognizing him before he ever spoke. "Nurse Joy has yet to update us on Scyther's condition. But stick close to the center," she quickly added when he made to leave. "It shouldn't be long now before we know something. I'll page you the moment we learn more."

Nodding his thanks, Naruto moved on, letting the next person in line approach the counter. Knowing he could hear the PA system from anywhere on the grounds, he made his way outside, eager for some fresh air and to be away from the crowds within.

Brushing between his ankles as the automated door closed behind them, Meowth looked to him expectantly for instruction.

"No training for now," he explained. "Depending on how long we have to wait, we might challenge a Gym today."

Originally, his strategy to clip Falkner's wings had focused around Scyther and Vacuum Wave. But with the bug-type's health in question, he was left reevaluating his options. Though none of that mattered for now. Until he received an update on Scyther's condition, he wasn't going anywhere.

With a final brush along his legs, Meowth took off for a nearby tree. Climbing into the canopy, the normal-type claimed a branch to herself, where she stretched out for what would be her first nap of the day.

Watching her as she lounged in the sun, he couldn't help but wonder how much longer it would be before she evolved. She had gained more than two inches in height in the past few months and her lithe form was growing more sinewy by the day. Not to mention her hair-trigger temper and viciousness in battle. He didn't have specifics, obviously, but he knew evolution was on the horizon.

Spotting the artificial pond most Pokémon Centers sported, Naruto unclipped Staryu's and Arbok's balls, releasing them at the water's edge. There were a number of trainers dotted around the lake and lounging on the dock, playing in the shallows or simply watching as their pokémon enjoyed the water. Unsurprisingly, the appearance of a massive, eleven-foot snake drew some attention.

Naruto ignored the apprehensive mumbling Arbok's unnerving appearance and ability, Intimidate, inspired, warning the duo not to cause trouble before heading off into the woods. He was less than half a dozen meters into the thicket before he released Cleffa. The fae appeared just as two clones popped into creation.

The blond caught the little one as the doppelgangers disappeared further into the forest.

"Hey now," he chuckled, running a finger along her stomach. "You're going to play a game with the clones. You have to hunt for them here in the woods."

Cleffa chirped excitedly, wiggling in his arms.

"You can only use your hearing to find them," he explained, setting her down. "Do you think you can do that?"

Cleffa might have participated in her first battle, but she was still quite young. From all he had read, by the time they reached a few months in age, most pokémon displayed a certain level of maturity that Cleffa decidedly lacked. He wasn't sure if it was still too early for her to have matured too much or if her species were naturally puerile; Cleffa were, after all, a part of a small group the pokedex labeled 'baby pokémon.'

Either way, he had discovered that it made training her a great deal easier if he disguised such activities in the form of games. From playing tag with Gravity to betting her she couldn't connect with Pound or Sweet Kiss on the clones, this method had been quite effective. And he was hoping their latest game, training her to better rely on her unparalleled sense of hearing, would be the same.

By the time he made his way back to the pokémon center, Arbok and Staryu were nowhere to be seen. Noting that a majority of the trainers that had surrounded the pond had fled in his absence, he felt safe assuming the duo had taken his suggestion and gone for a swim.

"What do you think?"

Naruto's expression was indiscernible as he took in the sight of his starter. Perched in May's lap and radiating narcissism, Meowth sported a silk ribbon about her neck that had been twisted into an elaborate bow.

"It's nice," he complimented, leaving her preening under his rather lame praise.

"I needed some things for the routine I'm working on," May explained as she absently straightened the accessory. "I saw the fabric and thought of Meowth. You don't mind, do you?"

Naruto shook his head. He was honestly okay with the bow, though he himself would have never bothered with such trivial things. Meowth liked it and it would in no way affect her ability to battle. In fact, he could see it causing their opponents to underestimate her.

The only drawback he could think of would be the comments something so cutesy would earn him. But like with his Scyther-given haircut and his tattered, burnt orange hoodie, he really didn't care what others thought.

"I thought you would have gone off after your third badge by now," she commented as she scanned the surrounding area. "Where's the rest of your team?"

"Arbok and Staryu are in the pond," he said jerking a thumb toward the water. "Cleffa's napping."

"And Scyther?"

"He's still with Nurse Joy."

Pausing with her hand halfway down a purring Meowth's spine, she asked, "What happened? Is he okay?"

With her being asleep the night before and gone when he had awoken, Naruto hadn't had the chance to fill her in on Scyther's condition. Though the truth was, he likely wouldn't have been forthcoming with the details anyway.

"We were challenged last night by a trainer and his Houndoom," he revealed, technically not lying as he went with the same tale he had spun for Nurse Joy. "It was vicious and wild and tried to kill Scyther. We got away, but not before one of his wings was injured."

May frowned thoughtfully. "A Houndoom, huh? They're dangerous in a fight. Is Scyther okay?"

Naruto shrugged. "I've yet to speak with Nurse Joy. But it looked pretty bad."

"I'm sure he'll be fine," she assured him. "Believe me, I know how tough it can be waiting on that kind of news."

Naruto regarded her pensively, his thoughts going to her reaction to the trainer who had suggested he have Cleffa put down. But despite not voicing his thoughts, May, who he had noticed was quite perceptive, noticed. The brunette sighed, gaining a far-off look as she continued to stroke Meowth behind the ears.

"A few years back, I found myself in the middle of a… there's no other way to describe it, war between rivaling organizations," she scoffed distastefully. "Calling either of them an organization is being generous. They were nothing more than feuding gangs. Low lives and criminals. At the time, I was preparing for a big contest and didn't have any of my heavy battlers on hand. I wasn't prepared to stumble upon a fight between two groups that rival Team Rocket in power and sin. In all the fighting and attempting to get others to safety, Audino didn't see Mightyena until it was too late."

"I don't know how knowledgeable you are about them, but Audino are capable healers," she revealed, too engrossed in the past to realize how forthcoming she was being or that she had him hanging on her every word. "But Mightyena are just as infamous for their viciousness. It was terrible, what it did to her. There was too much to heal. More than she could have managed even if she hadn't been exhausted from battle and weak with blood loss."

Naruto made a sound that was somewhere between a grunt and a sound of understanding. "I won't tell you I'm sorry for your loss," he mumbled after she had fallen silent, displaying once more his absolute lack of tact and social skills.

His curiosity had been piqued. He wanted to inquire further and find out if it was a vendetta for her lost friend which sparked her role in the downfall of Team Magma and Aqua. But she wasn't aware that Whitney had informed him about her past, so all he could do was offer her his condolences. In the best way an emotionally stunted murderer knew how.

"People toss those words around like bandages; as if they'll magically cure someone's suffering. In reality, all they do is cheapen and tarnish your pain and the memory of those lost to us." Though he had grown excellent at smothering his emotions, he was familiar with the sting of loss. On those occasions, had someone thrown him a meaningless 'sorry,' he likely would have taken their head from their shoulders. "It's unfair your friend died. I hope those responsible paid."

May stared at him long and hard, a little shocked and unsure how to process his words. Apologizing for one's loss was one of those things everybody did, for better or worse. Even when she herself had done the same in the past, she had never given the gesture any real thought. Of course, she felt remorse. Death was an inescapable tragedy and was meant to be mourned. But never had she contemplated how the grieving might perceive those words that were about as heartfelt as telling someone bless you when they sneezed.

"Thank you," she eventually managed, having found a twisted sort of logic in his bleak philosophy. Even if she didn't necessarily see the harm in giving one's condolences, in their own way, his words were more meaningful.

For once the silence between them wasn't fragile or awkward. Naruto took a seat halfway around the same tree May and Meowth were propped against. The trio sat quietly, enjoying the warmth of the sun on their skin. Naruto even took off his hoodie, laying it at his side as he sat back and began to drift off.

Yet his nap wasn't meant to be. Before he could drift off, the PA system sparked to life with a shrill cry that was followed closely by Nurse Joy's magnified voice.

" _Naruto Uzumaki, please report to the front desk_."

The blond was on his feet and breezing through the entrance of the Pokémon Center before May and Meowth could stand. Brushing past those loitering about in the lobby, he quickly spotted and made his way to a haggard Nurse Joy.

"How is he?"

Understandably, the rosette lacked her normal composure. An exhausted sigh escaped her followed closely by a large, eye watering yawn.

"Excuse me," she apologized, sobering. "Before we begin, I'd just like to clarify and confirm a few things for my personal records. You said it was a Houndoom which caused the damage to his right, upper wing?"

Naruto nodded, earning one in return as she jotted something down on her clipboard.

"And you believe it was a combination of Thunder and Fire Fang which it used on Scyther?"

Once more Naruto bobbed his head. Behind him, May and Meowth rushed into the center. Yet it was Nurse Joy who held his attention.

"Then I'd say Scyther is quite lucky to be in as good of a condition as he is," she revealed with a worn smile. "Any burn from a Houndoom can be difficult to treat because of the special properties of their flames. You see, their poison is tied to their emotions, specifically in anger and other such strong, negative feelings."

"It's for this reason that when treating a burn from either a Houndour or Houndoom, no matter how minor, we proceed with the utmost caution," she patiently explained even though she looked dead on her feet. "I apologize for the lengthy wait. Fortunately, there were no complications. Either Houndoom wasn't angry enough to produce its toxins, or, as I suspect is the case, the combination diluted and weakened them."

"How so?" Naruto inquired.

"While producing a flame for a Houndoom would be akin to you or I breathing, the electricity for Thunder Fang would be a different matter entirely. Unless it had mastered Thunder Fang and using it in tandem with Fire Fang, attacking with both at once would have weakened its normally powerful flames and subsequently its poisons. As I said previously, Scyther was quite lucky. Most of the damage was of his own doing."

"Can you explain what you mean?" May asked, voicing Naruto's very thoughts.

"You said that when Houndoom latched on to Scyther's wing, he ripped himself free, correct?" Naruto nodded. "That explains why his injuries are more consistent with a tear rather than a bite wound."

"What does that mean for Scyther? Will his wing heal properly?" Naruto inquired. "Can he still fly?"

"Eventually, yes," Joy revealed as she set her clipboard on the counter and retrieved a pokeball. "However, he needs to let his wing rest for the time being. No battling for at least a week. And no flying for at least three. Should you disregard our advice and allow him to do either before this period of recuperation, he could worsen his condition or potentially cause himself permanent harm. To be cautious, I'd recommend bringing him back for a checkup before you allow him to do either."

Handing over Scyther's ball, she offered up a final word of advice before excusing herself. "Take good care of Scyther, Mr. Uzumaki."

"Of course," Naruto nodded. Giving the ball a lingering squeeze, he clipped it to his hip as he regarded Meowth. "You ready to win another battle?"

 **Back to Basics**

"You've challenged this gym before?"

Naruto nodded as they approached the Violet City Gym. Unlike the first time he laid eyes upon it, there were no crowds of trainers lulling about out front. The early season rush seemed to have passed. Yet there was still a healthy amount of bodies flowing in and out of its doors.

"I thought you said your first loss was to that ninja girl," May reminded him, her tone critical as she mentioned Aya.

"It was. When I first challenged here, I beat the gym trainer they had me battle, but knew I wasn't prepared for Falkner. Back then it was only me and Meowth. I wasn't going to send her into a fight I knew she couldn't win. To do so would have been cruel to her, and would have embarrassed us both."

May hummed approvingly. "That was mature of you."

Doors sliding open as they approached, the duo made their way inside. They were greeted by the same gym trainer who had been taking names the first time he had visited the gym.

"Name, number of badges, and pokémon," he droned. The glazed look in his eyes made it clear he didn't remember who Naruto was, which was unsurprising if his day-to-day included one new face after another.

"Naruto Uzumaki, two, and three." He wasn't including Scyther and Cleffa as neither could participate in today's battle.

Nodding as he jotted down his information, he motioned for them to follow him as he turned and made for one the lone battle fields on the first floor not in use. Naruto observed the other battles playing out as he was led into the challenger's box opposite a blonde who had been in wait.

"You will face Jillian for the right to challenger Leader Falkner," their guide informed them.

Turning to May, he asked, "Are you here to challenge the Violet Gym as well?"

"I'm here to watch."

Asking her to step aside, he called for a referee who came running along the side of the gym. "Yours will be a one on one match," he informed him before turning and making his way back to the entrance.

"Challenger, choose your pokémon."

Staryu's screech reverberated throughout the gym, startling the flying-types in the adjacent battles. The girl that would be his opponent spared the water-type a glance before releasing her own pokémon.

"Xatu," Naruto said recognizing the dual-type.

The colorful avian took to the air, producing a hollow cry as it began to circle the field from above.

"Begin!"

Before Naruto could give Staryu an order, Xatu beat its wings, which had suffused with a white light, producing a tangible blade of air. Staryu rolled out of the way without any difficulty just as Xatu swooped down upon it, its beak glowing with energy. Without prompting, Staryu used Water Gun to counter the attack, catching the psychic full on in the face.

Xatu managed a grunt as it attempted to adjust its trajectory and stay in the air. But Staryu was right on its tail. Form illuminating as it used Harden, it threw itself at the retreating avian, catching it in one of the wings.

Xatu screeched in pain as it plummeted from the air like a stone, its wing bent at an awkward angle. Still airborne, Staryu's gem glowed with power as a trio of orbs took form. Fire, ice, and lightning rained down on the psychic as it crashed, kicking up dirt and obscuring it from view.

When the dust settled, Xatu was shown to be unmoving. A wide-eyed Jillian recalled the unconscious psychic, looking as if she couldn't believe her eyes.

Recalling Staryu, Naruto nodded to her. "Good match."

Returning the gesture halfheartedly as she attempted to reclaim her composure, Jillian motioned for him to follow. May sided up to him as they trailed behind the blonde as she led them further up and up into the gym.

"Staryu battled well," May commented as they were led onto the roof. There was a large group of people in attendance and just as many flying-types occupying the sky. It was a sight to see, close to a hundred flying-types of varying size and countless shades of plumage maneuvered the sky with grace beyond anything a human could dare hope to replicate.

"It's not over yet."

"What's this, Jillian?" Falkner and his ridiculous haircut spotted them before anyone else. The Violet City gym leader regarded him only long enough to take notice of May at his side, his eyes narrowing appreciatively. "A new challenger?"

Nodding, Jillian motioned to the blond. "Naruto Uzumaki has won the right to challenge you."

Falkner reluctantly gave up his leering, looking to Naruto as if doing so was some kind of chore. "You've returned, challenger. The last we saw of you was with your tail tucked between your legs as you and your Meowth fled."

At his side, May stiffened, her expression turning stormy. From what Whitney had shared, her father was a highly respected gym leader back in Hoenn. From her reaction, he was guessing Falkner's attitude wasn't normal for someone of his position.

Naruto chose not to give him the satisfaction of responding, instead stepping into the challenger's box. Falkner snorted as he did the same, whistling a peculiar tune that saw the flying-types overhead clear out of the sky, perching on the railings that lined the edge of the roof.

"How many badges do you have, challenger?"

"Two."

Nodding in an unimpressed manner, Falkner motioned one of the spectators over. The boy brought with him two pokeballs, which he quickly handed over before melting back into the audience.

"This will be a two-on-two battle. I assume that will be acceptable?"

Naruto grunted his agreement, unleashing Meowth at his side. A smirk began pulling on his lips as a wave of laughter rippled through the crowd at the sight of the normal-type's bow. None found the accessory more amusing than Falkner, who eyed both trainer and pokémon as if they were a joke.

Crouching down at her side, Naruto lightly tugged on the ribbon, unfurling the intricate knot. Hooking a finger beneath the silky fabric, he whispered to her under his breath, her sensitive ears prickling in response.

"Fast and hard. I want to obliterate that smirk of his." He really hated Falkner and his pompous, better than you attitude. Had he not known any better, he would have sworn the gym leader was one of the Hyuuga clan's long lost bastards.

Meowth trotted onto the field as if it and all of creation should be honored by her presence. Falkner's response was to unleash his first pokémon, a Doduo. The long legged avian appeared with twin shrill cries. The gangly bird was covered in short, bristly down and appeared as if it were incapable of flight. But its most distinguishing feature was its twin heads.

Meowth bared her fangs, hissing when both sets of eyes narrowed in on her.

"Are both participants ready?" Jillian asked in a loud, clear voice. Challenger and gym leader nodded. "Then begin!"

"Let's test the waters," Naruto muttered just loud enough for Meowth to hear. He knew the flying-type had likely heard him as well with its sensitive hearing, but was hoping someone as vain and self-assured—cocky—as Falkner would have it drilled into Doduo's heads not to act without his permission. "Take its back and use Fury Swipes."

Meowth took off as if the hounds of hell were nipping at her tail, surprising the crowd with how fast she was. Closing the distance between them, she leapt at the flying-type, aiming to leap between its heads rather than trying to get around it. She wasn't prepared for it to jump higher than she had or the devastating kick that caught her in the rounded chin.

Jump Kick sent her crashing to the ground. Before she could get her bearings, the already incredibly fast bird used Quick Attack to get in close, striking out with another kick that sent her back to her section of the field.

Naruto took his eyes off the fight just long enough to watch as a smirking Falkner used the same tactic as he was, whispering orders to Doduo.

"Pay Day," Naruto ordered, as Meowth pushed to her feet. "Hold it."

Doduo was on her in an instant, both of its beaks glowing.

"Now."

All the time spent honing her aim paid off as she fired the charged Pay Day directly into both of its faces. Her enemy blinded, Meowth latched onto one of its legs, using Bite and Fury Swipes in tandem.

Both heads squawked in pain, spinning widely as it attempted shake off the feline.

"Focus," Falkner snapped. "Drill Peck."

Both beaks illuminated as energy began spinning about them.

"Get away," Naruto called out. But it was too late. Meowth howled as both heads stabbed at her back. Spitting and hissing, she released the bird, just as they once more began using Drill Peck.

"Foul Play."

Meowth instinctively grabbed the closest head, spinning and using its own momentum to throw it over her shoulder. Yet before she could slam it, the second head used their proximity to complete their attack. Beak humming like a power drill, Doduo savagely stabbed Meowth in her narrow sternum.

Meowth stumbled back, just managing to stay upright, too stunned from the blow to return to all fours. Despite a lack of wings. Doduo had somehow managed to roll into the throw, negating any damage. Without missing a beat, it leapt forward, prepared to lash out with another punishing kick.

"Screech!" Meowth acted without hesitation, an ear-splitting scream tearing from her maw. Doduo halted in the middle of their attack, their sensitive hearing and shared brain making the auditory assault more than it could bear. "Fury Swipes, all out!"

Ignoring its legs completely this time, Meowth went straight for the right head's throat. Kicking her back claws into its rounded body as she bit and clawed at its reed-like neck. When the second head attempted to save the other, she stopped using Bite long enough to use Screech once more, incapacitating them both as she returned to her relentless onslaught.

It was as a Pay Day began forming around her that an angry Falkner recalled Doduo.

"Disgraceful," he spat, genuinely upset. "Your Meowth fights like a savage."

"I know," Naruto smiled fondly, proud of his starter. Said feline had made her way back to their side of the field and had taken to cleaning her fur as she waited for her next opponent to appear. "Isn't it amazing. Such aggression and determination. Is it any surprise your overgrown buzzard couldn't compete?"

Falkner sneered as he called on his second pokémon. " _Buzzard_?"

Naruto actually chuckled. He was going to have to get better about referencing his world. "It doesn't matter."

"Agreed," Falkner snapped as he called on the pokémon Naruto had suspected going into this battle they would face. Stupid haircut falling into his eyes in a way that made him look deranged, Falkner grinned smugly, as if he had already won. In the skies overheard, a large, handsome Pidgeotto began gracefully circling the field, screeching out a challenge to Meowth.

Naruto knew the use of Thunder Bolt, Dark Pulse, and even Feint Attack would have seen the tide of the previous match shift in their favor much sooner. Yet he had restricted her move pool knowing she could overcome Doduo with the attacks he had allowed. Having a few surprises up their sleeves would make what was going to be a difficult battle easier.

"Pidgeotto, Gust!"

Said bird beat its impressive wings, kicking up winds that howled like a devil.

"Dodge it. Use Feint Attack if need be."

Meowth charged straight ahead, keeping as low to the ground as she could manage while running at full speed. The wind was strong enough that she stumbled more than once, looking as if Gust was about to toss her wisp of a form across the field, yet she managed to press on, keeping beneath the attack.

"Again," Falkner barked, no longer going for subtlety. "Keep going until you blow it away."

Meowth attempted a repeat, keeping below the wind. But Pidgeotto was prepared for this, swooping in closer than previously before attacking. Meowth was powerless to fight the wind that ripped her from her paws, slamming her into the psychic barriers protecting Naruto and the others.

"Now," Naruto ordered, an invisible wall of psychic energy all that separated him from his starter. "Keep your movements erratic and draw it in close. When I give you the signal, light up its world."

Meowth was up and running almost instantly. Unsurprisingly, Pidgeotto attempted the same attack again. But as the wind kicked up dirt and yanked on Meowth's fur, whipping her large ears about violently, said normal-type vanished in a shimmer off shadows.

Pidgeotto squawked, annoyed that its prey had disappeared. It was a moment later that Meowth reappeared halfway across the field. Pidgeotto adjusted accordingly, but by the time it began beating its wings, Meowth was gone once more.

"If it wants to play in the shadows that's fine," Falkner growled. "We can bring it out of hiding. Twister!"

Meowth materialized just as Pidgeotto created a cyclone of wind. Three times as tall as Falkner but narrow in width, the wind funnel bore down on the normal-type, prompting her to flee the best way she knew how, Feint Attack.

The attack hadn't been close since Pidgeotto lacked the ability to control it beyond hurling it in a general direction, and was made all the worse by Meowth's incessant disappearing act. But both trainer and pokemon could feel the power behind it. Colliding with the psychic shields, it dispersed with a great, resounding boom, the blow back whipping her ears and whiskers about wildly.

The moment Feint Attack ended, Pidgeotto launched another Twister. Seeing a pattern already forming, Naruto intervened.

"Get in close. Bring it down and don't let it up."

Pidgeotto rapidly beat its wings, hovering in place as it searched the field for Meowth. Naruto was the first to spot the feline as she reappeared, her coin illuminating as the telltale scent of ozone prickled at his nose. Falkner called out a warning, but despite this and Pidgeotto's impressive reaction time, it was still too late.

The crack of thunder accompanied the bolt's discharge as it struck Pidgeotto from below. The flying-type lost all control of its body, sparks crackling over its form as it plummeted toward the ground and a waiting Meowth.

Naruto was sure the match was seconds from concluding—once Meowth had a hold of it the match was theirs—and thus allowed Meowth to do as she pleased. But in doing so, he had underestimated Falkner and his excellent trained partner.

Waiting until Pidgeotto was close to crashing into the ground, Falkner made a last ditch move to defeat Meowth. "Steel Wing!"

Pidgeotto responded instantly, wings taking on a silver glow as it spun about, graceful even as it hurtled toward the ground, swinging on an unsuspecting Meowth. Naruto's starter didn't have time to think, just react. A familiar orb of shadowy energy sparked to life, firing Dark Pulse square into Pidgeotto's chest as the flying-type clubbed Meowth over the head.

Meowth crumpled to the ground as Pidgeotto was rocketed across the field, bonelessly tumbling as it skipped across the ground. As the bird came to a stop less than a dozen feet from the challenger's box, Jillian called an end to the match.

"Both pokémon are unable to battle. The winner of the match is the challenger, Naruto Uzumaki."

As soon as the shields dropped, Naruto was on the field. Striding past the unconscious Pidgey-evolution without a second glance, he knelt at Meowth's side just as she began to stir. Naruto took her head gingerly in hand, probing the area where Pidgeotto's Steel Wing had caught her behind the left ear.

"You did good," he told her as she winced. Though tender to the touch, it wasn't enough to stop her from leaning into his touch. "I didn't tell you to finish it when I could have. This is my fault."

"As the leader of the Violet City Gym, I present you with the Zephyr badge." Ego having taken a hit with his loss, Falkner wore a derisive sneer as he held out the bit of shiny metal.

Naruto took the badge without comment. Turning it over between his fingers, he snorted, tossing it to Meowth who allowed it to hit the ground.

"You want it for your collection."

Having picked up on Naruto's mood, Meowth batted at it lethargicly with her paw before turning her nose up at it and brushing against his leg. Chuckling darkly, Naruto recalled her as he shrugged at a livid Falkner.

"I guess you can keep it."

Ignoring the sounds of discontent coming from the indignant bystanders, he made his way to May's side. They were silent as they made their way down more than ten flight of stairs. It wasn't until they were free of the gym and heading in the direction of the pokémon center that she spoke.

"Refusing a badge is one of the most disrespectful gestures you can do to a gym leader," May pointed out. Naruto began to roll his eyes, but stopped as her next words gave him pause. " _He deserved it_. I've never seen such an unprofessional gym leader. It was disgusting."

"I didn't like him the first time I met him," Naruto supplied. "A second encounter didn't endear him to me any."

"You battled well. Meowth fought well against Doduo and Pidgeotto. They were both well trained," she added.

Naruto grunted darkly. "I could have ended the fight when Pidgeotto was falling. _Before_ Meowth was hurt," he seethed.

"You really have been lucky as a trainer, haven't you?" May concluded thoughtfully, sending him a teasing look. "Whether you're a trainer or a coordinator, everyone second guesses themselves at some point. More times than not after a significant loss or a close victory. Some people think you're not a real trainer until you face such a hurdle."

Smiling brightly, she pressed on as they passed into the pokémon center. "As someone who has faced her own doubts in the past, I can tell you from experience that you're ahead of the curve. I know a lot of talented trainers, some who I began my journey with. None of them were as talented or skilled at less than four months into their journey as you are. Don't start second guessing yourself now. Learn from your mistakes and continue to grow."

Having handed Meowth over to the assistant on duty for a checkup, Naruto stepped away from the counter, giving May a stiff nod in thanks that could have been mistaken for an involuntary twitch.

Snorting, an amused May checked her pokédex. "Are you hungry? There's a pretty famous place nearby that I've been meaning to check out. Care to tag along? We can grab an early dinner."

Naruto began to decline her offer, but at the mention of food, a lurch in the pit of his stomach reminded him he hadn't eaten all day. "Lead the way."

May smiled, pleasantly surprised he had agreed to come. "They're supposed to have some of the best ramen in Johto."

Naruto hummed, sounding unimpressed but interested nonetheless.

"What's the matter? Don't you like ramen? I'm sure they serve more than just noodles."

"I don't know if I like it," he admitted. "I've never had it before."

 **ROOT**

May felt her heart slam into overdrive at the handsome visage smiling charmingly back at her.

"Steven," she gushed, a distinctive heat making its way into her cheeks.

"May," he greeted her in his honeyed timbre before abruptly cutting to the chase. "How goes the investigation? Anything out of the ordinary to report on our blond friend?"

May deflated, her excitement dimming as she shook her head. "Unfortunately, no. He has a sharp tongue, but can be soft spoken and insightful; he's moody and goes out of his way to seclude himself, but cares deeply for his pokémon; and at times, it's as if he has no experience interacting or socializing with others. But I can personally vouch that he's capable of being thoughtful and considerate at the drop of a hat. One moment, he'll completely ignore my existence, the next he'll surprise me by randomly sharing a profound thought or engage me with an intensity that's almost frightening. I don't know how else to explain it, he's an enigma."

"So there's nothing of interest?" Steven summarized pensively, wearing a thoughtful look that nearly left the girl he was video chatting with swooning. "I see here he captured a Scyther recently. Impressive for someone who earned their third badge only yesterday."

"There's no denying it, he's a promising trainer with instincts that can't be learned or taught. The only thing of note that I've learned about him is that he's not from Johto. From where exactly," she began, knowing what his question would be. "I don't know. He's opened up to me more recently, but that's really not saying much. Talking with him is like conversing with a wall most of the time."

Steven nodded, accepting of this. "And you? What's your opinion of him?"

May sighed, unsure exactly how to answer. "He can be frustrating when he wants to be. A battle fanatic, who trains his team constantly. And as I said before, moody at the best of times. But beyond being a bit odd, I don't get the feeling he's a bad person. The opposite, in fact. He just doesn't know how to act… _normal._ "

"He killed more than thirty people," Steven reminded her flatly. "All without the aid of his pokémon and if Bugsy's and Karen's reports are to be believed, his motivation was purely monetary. He didn't show an ounce of remorse. That's more than just the eccentricities of an odd ball."

May frowned, but nodded. "I never forgot the reports."

"Good. I know you can protect yourself. But never give him the opportunity to take you unawares. Where is he now?"

May had to smother the impulse to laugh as she answered. "When I told him I had a phone call to make, he decided to go back to the restaurant we had dinner at last night. He really enjoyed the ramen."

"Before you go, you should know of a recent development that could potentially affect you. There was a data breach there in Johto and they suspect Team Rocket of being responsible. His identity and involvement in the Azalea incident was a just a small part of the information that was stolen."

May frowned, her stomach tightening. "They'll be aiming for him."

"Exactly," Steven agreed. "Be on the lookout. If it was Team Rocket who got their hands on that information, they'll come seeking blood. They won't care who gets in their way."

"Like you said," she reminded him, confident. "I can handle myself."

"Indeed, you can," Steven agreed with a warm chuckle. "Take care."

"You too," May hastened to tell him, feeling like a foolish, overly eager schoolgirl as she did so. But instead of the screen fading to black, Steven was still there, looking as if he had just recalled something that had slipped his mind.

"And one last thing," he added, mildly amused by his own forgetfulness. "Wallace was adamant about speaking with the boy."

 **ROOT**

The plan had been to set out for Ecruteak that day. But due to wandering off after devouring three bowls of ramen, he had lost track of time battling a group of trainers his own age. They had laughed when Cleffa appeared. But by the time dusk had set, they all had a new-found dislike of the fae.

It was for this reason that they set out early the next morning. Having traveled this same path on his return trip to Violet, they knew what to expect of the area. Scatterings of lightly populated thickets and the occasional stream or pond. The area itself sported a wide variety of wildlife. It wasn't uncommon to spot Hoothoot gliding about overhead in the night's sky, skittish herds of Nidoran, led by the occasional long horned Nidorino, and even packs of Vulpix and Growlithe. Though the latter two were quite rare.

Despite being interested in the powerful fire-types, Naruto restrained himself from catching one. Five of the six spots on his roster were already filled. He was being cautious about who would be the next member added to his squad. And, on the off chance he couldn't find a pokémon he liked better, he could always return another time and catch one of his choosing.

This restraint nearly crumbled late one night about three days into their journey. And would have shattered completely had he not been distracted for all of a heartbeat.

Meowth and Cleffa were bundled together in his lap, though unlike her cuddle buddy, the former was awake, enjoying his hand tracing her spine. Arbok, as he had taken to doing since evolving, was asleep underground, or more specifically, beneath the fire pit where he could soak up the most heat. And finally, Staryu and Scyther were in their balls.

Both as a punishment, but for very different reasons.

Staryu, as it turned out, did not like his clones. He wasn't sure what the cause of the starfish's hate was, perhaps its fledgling psychic powers enlightened it to how unnatural their existence was. But for whatever reason, it never missed the opportunity to attack and disperse a clone. In the beginning, this wasn't a problem. But as time went on, it began to grow more and more aggressive with the doppelgangers.

In all honesty, Naruto didn't care if it tried to pop them. In a roundabout way, it was good training for Staryu. A sort of impromptu sparring session. But then it had begun to try and destroy them while around May. Thus, why it was serving a timeout when normally it was right there by his and the others' side.

Scyther was a different problem entirely. The dual-type hadn't taken the news of his obligated down time very well. Naruto knew how hard this was for the insectoid and had made a deal with him that he could still train, but couldn't battle until the one week ban was up or use his wings for any reason. Both of which proved to be easier said than done.

It was in Scyther's nature to seek out and battle any it deem strong. But Naruto had been able to counter this battle lust, at least in part, by beginning him on learning Air Slash, which, much to his surprise, could be cast from his scythes and not his wings.

All seemed to be going according to plan, but as was his luck, it proved more difficult for Scyther to stop using his wings. Not just a tool for flying, his wings were used for a variety of reasons, among them communication within a swarm and for mating calls. The vibrations and differing resonances his wings produced also served as warning sounds to his prey and those who had incurred his wrath, much like a rattlesnake's rattler.

Until the insect learned to control himself, he would need to spend any time not in Naruto's sight in his ball.

"Here."

Lost staring into the flame, it was reflex, honed to strike out with lethal accuracy, that allowed him to snatch the brush out of the air. Arching an eyebrow at her, May gave a soft laugh as she motioned to Meowth, miming brushing her.

The blond snorted when the normal-type redoubled her purring, claws sinking unconsciously into his legs.

"I think this was a bad idea," he mused as he continued to brush her fur. "She's going to be worse than ever now, pestering me for attention."

"You'll be fine," May hummed as she busied her hands sewing a pink, frilly monstrosity that Naruto assumed was supposed to be a skirt. "Bonding with your team will only make you stronger."

Now that he didn't mind these comments as much as he used to, Naruto had been about to question the validity of her statement when a chill descended upon the campsite, settling deep in their bones. The fire dimmed considerably, becoming little more than a glorified ember as all the sounds synonymous with a warm, early spring night died away.

Naruto was on his feet instantly, sparing a frightened May a glance as he called for Arbok to surface. Instinct saw him grab for Scyther's ball, but took Staryu's instead, releasing the fish in the same moment as Arbok's massive hood broke through the ground, the serpent hissing as its hood spreads wide in a threat display.

He didn't know what was happening, but could tell that it was nothing good.

"Get ready." he ordered as the answer to what was causing the drastic drop in temperature revealed itself.

Naruto had met and matched the glares of gods given mortal flesh. Danzo, Sarutobi, and Itachi Uchiha to name just a few. But the gaze to burrow into his own from way up top in the canopy was unlike anything he had ever experienced. It was akin to meeting the soulless pits of the Shinigami. They were eyes of cruelty and insanity. Evil incarnate.

A cold sweat prickled along the nape of his neck as he silently identified the intruder who had descended upon their campsite.

"Gengar."

There were no other words to describe his feelings, Naruto was frightened of the ancient creature. Yet leave it to a child assassin to be exhilarated by the experience. He wanted the beast born of shadows and nightmares as his own.

His staring contest with the beast ended when a blood curdling scream cut through the clearing. Naruto jumped, already on edge. The clearing filled with crimson light as May released her entire team: Blaziken, Swampert, Altaria, Delcatty, Glaceon, and Exploud, the last of which let out an eardrum rupturing roar that visibly distorted the air and sent all the wildlife within a mile radius fleeing.

Hands over his ears, Naruto scanned the trees overhead, searching for any sign of the spook, but to no luck. It had vanished into thin air. Or more likely, into the inky shadows lurking in every corner of the clearing.

Naruto rounded on the brunette, pissed, but came up short upon finding the ashen faced girl surrounded protectively by her pokémon. The amount of hostility rolling off her normally easygoing team was enough to give him pause.

"Are you alright?"

May shook her head in the negative, looking to be on the verge of tears. "I don't like them."

"Who? Gengar?" he inquired softly, not wanting to make the situation any worse for her. The girl was anything but a coward. He'd been around her long enough to be sure of that much. To see her as anything less than her normally composed self was jarring.

She shook her head timidly, scanning every inch of the woods and night sky she could see from within the circle her team had formed around her.

"Ghost-types. All of them."

"Why?" Naruto couldn't help but to ask.

"When I was little, I had a bad experience with a Banette." May shook her head, eyes closing as she attempted to fight off the memories of the traumatizing experience. "It was horrible. They hate children. I wasn't able to sleep for months after."

Having a better understanding of childhood trauma than most, Naruto grabbed Altaria's attention. "It's best if she gets some rest. There's no chance of her falling asleep now."

Catching onto what he was saying, Altaria folded its long, swan-like neck, burying her head in the bend of May's as she began to sing her heart wrenching song. The distressed girl, whose hands were fisted in the avian's cotton-like down, was too upset to recognize what was happening to her. Naruto tried for his best reassuring look as he held her gaze as she drifted off to sleep.

With a word to her pokémon about patrolling the perimeter, he exited the halo of light given off by the fire, creating a dozen clones as he vanished into the night. Privately he wondered if it made him an even worse person than he already knew himself to be since he would do everything in his power to capture the ghost should it show its face again.

AN: Yes, I'm aware that in the anime there has been a handful of episodes where real animals are shown. But in this story there aren't any. I tried to give this chapter more substance than some of my past chapters. It makes my writing style feel different. Hopefully in a good way. If you enjoyed this, leave a review. I love hearing from you guys and gals. Also, no worries about the badge, every gym win is recorded in his trainer profile.


	8. Making Haste

Title: ROOT

AN: So I should apologize. Life has been hectic since my last post. This chapter has been done for some time now. However, the opportunity to upload it hasn't presented itself until now. I haven't even had the chance to post the first chapter of my other pokemon fic like I had promised. Which _IS_ going up at the same time as this.

Chapter Eight: Making Haste

"We're ready to begin, sensei."

From his place in the trees more than a dozen meters away, Naruto watched as the normal day to day routine for Jujitsu Academy played out. There was battling, lessons on tactics, and a course on health and nutrition. All of which were based around pokemon.

Relying on their pokemon's attacks and abilities, they imitated shinobi. They were no more ninja than a small child running around playing hide and seek in a onesie.

Crouched on the highest branch that would support his weight, clone Naruto glanced down into the lower branches and those in the trees surrounding his own where hundreds of Spinarak and Ariados had made their nests. The bug/poison types were the academy's sentries, all but invisible to the naked eye unless you knew what to look for.

As he had planned to from the moment he lost to Aya, Naruto had sent a clone after the 'kunoichi' to find the hidden location of her shinobi school. And now that they were well into their journey to Ecruteak, he had sent another to investigate these so-called shinobi.

Needless to say, he was underwhelmed by what they had to offer. There were only one or two promising individuals, an elder pupil and an instructor, though their skills were, at best, those of your average first year Konohagakure academy student.

With a shake of his head, the invisible clone leapt from the tree and sprinted toward the school, an old, traditional building, similar in look and feel to one of the Uchiha or Hyuga mansions. If either of the prideful clans were in the habit of allowing something as important to their status as their grandiose homes to fall into disarray.

There might not be any real shinobi about, but perhaps they would have something of interest within he could relieve them of. Though he truly doubted he was that fortunate…

ROOT

"We've been over this, if you can't stop using your wings, you'll spend the next week and a half without battling." Scyther hissed angrily in response, stomping up to him as if he were about to strike.

Scyther eyed him critically, keenly aware that of the two of them, the blond was stronger. That made him the alpha of their little swarm. The insect had been born into and thrived within a hierarchy where the strongest ruled and any sign of weakness was immediately and severely punished, more times than not by death. If he were to flinch away now, Scyther would see him as unfit to 'lead.'

They had been on the road for more than a week now and Scyther's battling ban had been lifted. Unfortunately, he was still prohibited from flying and using his wings. In the few battles Naruto had attempted to use him in, such as the one that preceded their current standoff, he would forfeit the moment Scyther began to use his wings.

It might seem extreme, as the dual-type wasn't using them to fly, attack, or boost his already considerable speed, but as a form of intimidation. It was surprising how unnerving the hum of his wings could be as he bared down on you with his forearm scythes. But Nurse Joy had been clear about the dangers of aggravating his injuries. Though they appeared to be healing fine, he refused to take any chances where the bug's health was concerned.

Their staring match was ended for them. The heavy thud of Arbok's tail slapping the ground garnered their collective attention, but it was a gesture meant solely for Scyther. Arbok gave a hiss that Scyther returned with one of his own, turning on the serpent as if he were about to launch himself at his team mate.

And given who the two were, that was a very real possibility.

Scyther was aggressive. There was no other word for it. He was more concerned with furthering his own strength than bonding with his team mates. It was an attitude that hadn't earned him any favors with the large serpent.

Arbok, on the other hand, was on good terms with the rest of the team. He and Meowth had bonded early on, back when Naruto had been a less than stellar human being. After Cleffa had hatched, he no longer wanted to eat her… at least not as much as when she was an egg. And he and Staryu got along famously, bonding while at the bottom of lakes and rivers where none of the rest of the team could follow.

After evolving, Arbok had naturally grown more aggressive. Yet this hadn't been a problem. Any time he got carried away in battle or while training, a firm word from Naruto was enough to reel him in.

But as would happen whenever two such strong personalities shared a common space there would be friction. On more than one occasion, the two had butted heads. Only Naruto's presence stopped an all-out brawl from occurring anytime one caught the eye of the other.

Stepping between the two, Naruto placed a firm hand on Scyther's armor-like chest and Arbok's domed hood.

"Enough you two," he interjected. "Get back to training."

Arbok hissed one last time before slithering off to continue to work on Coil.

His poison sacks were finally potent enough to produce Acid, an attack which highly intrigued Naruto. As far as acids went, it was a mild one. On another pokemon it would burn them, gradually growing more potent, but not to the point of maiming unless left untreated for some time. But on inanimate surfaces, such as metals or wood, it was highly corrosive.

Yet instead of having him focus on another poison attack, he had put the reptile to learning Coil. Arbok had plenty of offensive weapons at his disposal and Coil would see them become even more effective. The status type move would increase the power of his attacks and improve his defense. Both of which was far more valuable to them than Acid.

"You too. Let's see if you can master Air Slash," he said, nodding toward the patch of woods where a number of trees had already been cut down and further dissected. "And no using your wings," he added as the mantis struck out at a still upright tree, cutting through it with a single masterful swing of his blades.

Shaking his head as the tree tumbled to the ground with earth rumbling force, he made his way to the stream where Staryu was training. The starfish had been splitting its focus threefold between mastering Minimize and learning Light Screen and Confuse Ray.

It was while browsing a water-type forum on his pokedex that the blond found a suggestion that stated said types were capable of learning new techniques quicker in and near bodies of water. So when he caught the barest traces of moisture on the air with his nose, they decided to make a minor detour and stop a little earlier. That they could also use this opportunity to wash up was appreciated by both May and himself.

The starfish was nowhere to be seen as he approached and figured it had disappeared to the bottom of the creek bed to work.

After their battle with Xatu, Naruto had gotten an idea that he wasn't yet certain would work. He wanted to explore to what extent Staryu could control Tri Attack. The attack was essentially the simultaneous use of Ice Beam, Flamethrower, and Thunderbolt. Was it possible to use them independently of each other? Or delay one or more of the elements or even control the order in which they were used? Was it even possible, with enough time and effort, to hit three different targets at once?

The possibilities were endless. Yet Staryu would need a mastery of the attack that would only come with time.

Naruto had stepped up everyone's training. His fragile pride had taken a hit when Falkner managed to knock Meowth out through no fault of her own. A moment of indecision all his own had blemished their victory. A mistake they couldn't afford to repeat in the future. A mistake that he wouldn't allow to happen a second time.

He cared for his team. They were his comrades. The closest thing he had to a family. That was a difficult fact for him to accept in the beginning. But now he recognized how much they meant to him. Scyther's injury and Meowth taking that final hit had shown him as much. For them, he couldn't show others mercy. Especially if he were to overcome the challenges Johto held in store.

Falkner was nothing compared to the monsters lying in wait for them. The five final gyms of Johto were infamously known as the gauntlet. Morty, Chuck, Jasmine, Pryce, and the revered dragon mistress, Clair. Together they formed a dauntless wall many trainers were never able to overcome.

Naruto had every intention of defeating them all.

Contemplating the road ahead, he almost missed the figure approaching from upstream. Having forgone the tights she normally sported under her shorts, May had kept her white shorts and thin, red tank top, exposing more skin than Naruto was used to seeing from her. He blamed it on the heat, which had been more intense that day than it had been for more than a month.

Hair still damp from the water, she crept through the woods. Naruto arched an apathetic eyebrow as she waved to him to follow her. Seeing he had no intention of moving, she huffed, stomping over and taking him by the hand.

"Come on," she grunted, annoyed. "There's something you should see."

"And what's that?" he inquired, not attempting to lower his voice.

May turned on him with a glare, 'shushing' him. "Be quiet, you'll startle them."

Getting the message, Naruto fell silent, allowing her to lead him. With every step, he fought back a wince. To a shinobi it was as if she were going out of her way to trample every twig and leaf in their path.

Eventually, they came to a stop in the middle of nowhere. Crouching at the base of a particularly large tree, she pointed around it and off into the distance. Light on his toes, Naruto peaked around its base, finding exactly why she had brought him here. A Stantler herd.

There were dozens of the normal-types scattered about in the forest, grazing. Some with large, mighty antlers, and others with much smaller racks. Yet they all possessed the trademark 'eyes' the species were known for.

Naruto reached for a pokeball, but stopped just short of taking one. May, who was still crouched at his side, saw this, sending him a bewildered look he shrugged off before turning and beginning to make his way back to the stream.

May eventually caught up to him as he made it to the same stretch of woods where Meowth and Cleffa were training. The tiny fae wore a look of determination as she scanned the area in search of Meowth. The normal-type shimmered into existence behind the fairy just long enough to make her presence known with before disappearing again.

Cleffa needed to learn how to use her hearing to her advantage. Which made Meowth, who was working on extending the duration she could remain invisible when using Feint Attack, the perfect partner for this exercise. Though Cleffa believed they were simply playing.

Pulling her hair back in a bandana, May sided up next to him.

"Why didn't you capture one?"

"I didn't have any pokemon on me."

"And?" she inquired, not fooled by his answer.

Naruto snorted, unsurprised she had caught onto his reluctance to capture another pokemon.

"Five of my team's six slots are filled at the moment. I have to think carefully before catching my next pokemon."

May hummed thoughtfully. "I have fourteen pokemon, enough for two separate teams and then some. You're not limited to the pokemon you can carry."

"I'm aware of that. But this six member capacity our hands are bound by means I can only train as many at any given time. I plan to eventually catch more, but for the time being, my efforts belong with my current roster," he explained with a sigh. "Stantler's illusions, if used correctly, could be devastating in battle. If I had more space on my team, I'd jump at the opportunity to catch one. But now isn't the right time."

"You've given this a lot of thought," May surmised. The brunette descended into a fit of giggles as she watched an irritated Cleffa leap at Meowth, only for the cat to vanish before the fairy could grab her.

"She's about to snap," Naruto mused as he too watched the duo 'train.'

"Listen, Naruto," May began, tone hesitant. "There's something I need to tell you."

Shoulders hunched, fidgeting with her hands, and eyes cast downward, the blond spared her a raised eyebrow. He doubted she was going to confess to spying on him, then what could have her acting so bizarrely. "I'm listening."

"I learned something when I made that phone call the night before we left Violet City. But I've not known how to tell you what it is." Steven was, of course, correct. The blond was dangerous. A murderer… But so was she.

Killing was a terrible thing. And should only be carried out in the direst of situations when no other viable option was available. But she knew firsthand from her own experiences that sometimes with heartless fanatics like Team Rocket and Magma and Aqua that the only way to see justice done was to extinguish that flame.

She was under a strict gag order. Nothing she shared or spoke with Steven about was to be mentioned to anyone, especially her target. She knew this. To do so would let him down and could jeopardize everything she had worked for. Yet it had weighed heavily on her conscious, more so than the deaths of those who wore the red and blue of Teams Magma and Aqua, not telling him that Team Rocket might be out for his blood.

"Don't sugarcoat it. If it's as important as you think it is, then blunt honesty would be for the best," he said thoughtfully.

Nodding to herself, in full agreeance, she did what she had never thought she would. She betrayed Steven's trust.

"Lisia overheard her uncle speaking with someone from the League here in Johto," she lied.

"Team Rocket was able to get their hands on some of the League's files. They know it was you who saved Courtney."

May wasn't sure what kind of reaction she expected. Even at the threat of death she couldn't see the distant and at times cold blond breaking down. But she had at least expected some kind of reaction besides a knowing nod.

"You know that means they'll come hunting for you," she pointed out, annoyed by his lack of reaction. "They might be trying to kill you."

Naruto hummed absently. "I suspect they will." Before he could elaborate, Cleffa began to wave her arms in a way that was all too familiar. "And there she goes. _Cleffa_ ," he chided as Meowth reappeared with a grunt, prone and unable to move. "You know the rules. No Gravity."

Pausing as he made to go break up the fight between his pokemon, he sent her a nod. "I appreciate the warning. Thank you."

ROOT

Without the bruising that had slowed her down the first few days into their journey to Violet City, May was capable of traveling both further and at a faster pace. It was for this reason that they made excellent time reaching Ecruteak.

The city itself was one of the oldest in all Johto, and even the neighboring region of Kanto. As such, it was a place steeped in tradition, ghost stories that had survived over the generations, and tales of the birth of many Legends. From what he had read and the pictures he had seen, Ecruteak and its dated, traditional architecture was reminiscent of villages back in his own world.

Naruto was unable to judge these similarities for himself as he was running. The city had been on the horizon for a while, and was little more than a half hour's journey at the leisurely pace they had set for themselves. But from out of nowhere, they were caught in a sudden and harsh downpour.

The blond recalled both Cleffa and Meowth, the only two outside their balls. As the world lit up red, casting the downpour in an eerie glow, May came jogging past, a wide smile on her face. Throwing her head back, she laughed freely, waving to him to keep up.

"Come on," she laughed joyously, invigorated by the downfall. "The center isn't far. We can make it!"

Snorting, Naruto gave chase, unbothered by the drenching he was receiving. Together, they sprinted through the gates, following the path their pokedex had indicated as the closest route to a Pokemon Center. The rain had left the city looking like a ghost town, its occupants having sought shelter someplace warm and dry. Meaning there was no one to take notice of two teens chasing through the streets.

May stumbled into the center on his heels, breathing heavily and shoulders vibrating with laughter. Naruto ran a hand through his hair, flinging water in all directions, unintentionally splashing her and reducing her to a fit of giggles.

"You like the rain."

The brunette sported an infectious grin as she bobbed her head. "It's the best feeling in the world," she enthused. "Getting caught in the rain. And it smells amazing!"

Naruto made his way to the counter, relieved to note that he wouldn't have to wait to be seen. He set Scyther's ball on the counter as Nurse Joy greeted them.

"My Scyther's wing was injured. A Nurse Joy in Violet City suggested I have him checked up when I had the chance," he explained before giving her a rundown of Scyther's aggressive behavior and the precautions she should take.

Nurse Joy nodded as she took the insect's ball. "Will that be all?" she inquired, looking both to him and May.

"We'd like a room," May offered politely.

Joy winced apologetically. "I'm sorry. We're all full."

"It's fine," May waved off her apology, nonplussed. "We'll see if we can't find a center with beds somewhere else in the city."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible. You'll find it difficult to locate empty beds for the next week and a half. You could perhaps try with an inn or hotel. But you should hurry."

It was Naruto who asked the obvious question. "Why will it be difficult to find lodgings?"

"The annual Ecruteak Brass Tower Tournament is being held next week. The amount of trainer traffic always increases this time of year," she explained, retrieving two copies of a pamphlet that she handed over to them. "It's open to trainers with a minimum of four badges. Would you like to enter?"

"When's the deadline to enter?" Naruto demanded, already going over strategies in his head to combat ghost pokemon.

"The end of the week.," Joy answered thoughtfully. "Three days. The tournament will begin a few days after and will conclude on the anniversary of the fire that destroyed the Brass Tower."

Humming, Naruto turned and left without another word.

"I'm sorry about him," May sighed, shaking her head as she watched him storm out into the rain. "He gets like this when battling is involved."

Joy giggled at the tidbit, nodding knowingly. "I understand. It's more common than you think."

ROOT

With the sheets of falling rain acting as cover, Naruto sprinted in the direction of the Ecruteak Gym faster than he normally would have dared within a city. Having crossed a distance that was roughly a third of the city in less than ten minutes, he didn't hesitate to charge into the gym.

Or at least he attempted to, only to run face first into the locked doors. Mood having flipped from anticipation to livid in a heartbeat, he slammed his fist against the sliding door's blackout glass, one of the only features of the traditional building that seemed to be of modern design. Though his not so delicate knocking wasn't answered immediately, he could make out the sound of battling from within so he continued to pound undeterred.

"What is it?!" The one to finally answer his call was a girl a year or two older than May. Neither ugly nor pretty, the only thing of note about her was her anger.

"I've come to earn my Fog badge."

Snorting derisively, she made to shut the door in his face. "Yeah, you and every other trainer in Ecruteak."

Naruto grabbed the door, forcing it back open without strain or effort. Eyes widening, the girl reexamined the younger boy who had overpowered her with ease.

"I'm sorry," she snapped. "But we've accepted all the challengers we're taking today. If you're that gung-ho about getting your fourth badge before the tournament, come back tomorrow—early—and maybe you'll get lucky and earn the chance to challenge Leader Morty."

"First come, first serve, right?" he clarified. Behind her, the curtain of darkness within the gym was illuminated by random bursts of flame, lightning, and other elements that were capable of bringing harm to the specters the gym was infamous for.

She nodded, smirking. He was an intense one, his eyes and refusal to take no for an answer spoke of as much. But soaked to the bone and with that ridiculous haircut, it was difficult to take him seriously.

"This time of year, we open the gym pretty earlier to accommodate all the challengers looking to snag their fourth badge. Best to rise with the sun if you want your shot at the Leader."

Clearly done with the conversation, she glared at him until he released the door. Slamming in his face, Naruto turned and made for the wilds outside Ecruteak. It would be an hour at least before Nurse Joy would be done with Scyther. Until then, he and the rest of the team would train for tomorrow.

Konohagakure was home of some of the most beautiful and deadly woodlands in all of the Elemental Nations. And he had received extensive training in one of the most, if not the most dangerous, the 44th Training Grounds. Affectionately known as the Forest of Death. As such, he knew how to read trees. From nature's giants, he could identify and track every species who called said woods home, could locate sources of water and other essential resources, and find the best place to lay a trap for one's enemies. With this training, he had no difficulty finding an area where the canopy was dense enough for his team to train without exposure to the elements.

Releasing his main fighters—Cleffa would have no part of this—he called them to order. "We're going to be facing Morty tomorrow. He specializes in ghost-types. Meaning some of your attacks won't affect his team. So we're going to be focusing on honing those that can."

Back to Basics

"You're soaked through," May observed. The brunette was wrapped in colorful, plastic jacket and was carrying an umbrella to shield her from the cutting rain. It had been more than twelve hours and still the sky continued its relentless assault. "Have you been out here all night? You're going to get sick sitting out in the rain."

"I've only been here a few hours."

May scoffed. Shaking her head, exasperated, as she tucked her raincoat underneath her as she sat next to him, propping up against the gym doors and angling her umbrella to cover them both. "I looked for you a long time last night. I even came here. When it became clear you didn't want to be found, I began searching for a place we could stay while in town. Nurse Joy was right, I checked every inn and hotel in the area. There's nothing available. Fortunately, the same Joy was kind enough to allow me to use my bedroll in the center's commons area."

Not one for small talk and with nothing to add, Naruto stewed in his silence.

"You're really pushing yourself to be a part of this tournament," she added as she entertained herself, sticking one of her feet in and out of the rain.

Naruto grunted noncommittally.

"I think this will be good for you," May pressed when it became apparent he was in one of his nonresponsive moods. Digging in her pocket, she produced a nutrient bar that she handed over. "Practice for the Silver U18 tournament."

Pausing with the bar on his lips, Naruto's brow furrowed in confusion. "U18?"

"The junior conference. Every League has under-eighteen tournaments. They're held to give younger trainers a chance to gain experience and offers them a place to compete separately from older, more experienced trainers, some who have been competing for more than a decade," she explained, her own confusion showing. "Don't they have such tournaments where you're from?"

Naruto shook his head, lips thin and expression as dark and stormy as the weather. "There is no League where I'm from," he grunted unpleasantly. "What you're saying is even if I get the same badges as trainers older than myself, I still can't compete in the real Silver Conference?"

May was so shocked by the personal reveal that she nearly forgot to answer. There were very few lands the world over where the League lacked an official presence, such as Orre, Alola, Holon, and the Ranger regions were trainers were prohibited. Such a small, inconsequential slip narrowed the scope of where he was from by a drastic margin and could potentially explain his resourcefulness with the salves he created and even his extreme actions when dealing with Team Rocket.

"You can still compete in the official Silver Conference," she hastily clarified. "But you have to reach the finals of the Junior Conference to participate."

Naruto's anger lessened to a simmer at the news. Such a tournament would be just another step on the path to making a name for himself. Winning both tournaments in one season, both the junior and the Silver Conference, that was a goal worthy of striving for.

The blond grabbed his companion none too gently by the hand as he stood up, surprising her. May's question died on her lips as he pulled her to her feet as the doors opened.

"Hell of a date to bring your girlfriend on, blondie." It was the same girl as the previous evening. Hands on her hips, she smirked at the state he was in. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were out here all night."

"Not all night," Naruto said dismissively. "I'm here. Early. I'm ready to challenge Morty."

"I don't think so," she snorted. "First you have to earn the right to challenge him. You didn't think you could just traipse in here and challenge him, did you? He'll be facing all those who won the right to battle him yesterday, today."

"But you said"-

"I said, come early enough and you could earn the right to face him," she supplied sharply. "If you can prove yourself worthy today, then you can face him tomorrow. Now are you coming or not?"

Naruto grimaced, but stepped inside without another word.

"And you, are you here to challenge the Ecruteak Gym as well?"

May shook her head with a shudder, taking a step away as if she feared her proximity might invite one of the spirits within to come close.

"Good luck," she called to Naruto as the girl made to close the door behind him. But before she could, the brunette's eyes widened and she yelled for the blond. "I almost forgot to tell you. I talked to my friend, Lisia, last night. She mentioned her uncle wanted to speak with you."

ROOT

Naruto dismissed all thoughts of the Hoenn Champion wanting to speak with him as he took in the atmosphere of the place that would serve as host for his next gym battle. Visibility was so poor inside that it was almost as if a fog had settled over the floor.

It would have been easy to mistake the lack of light as the gym playing on the common, widespread fear of ghost-types. But Naruto recognized it for what it really was. Less aesthetic and more strategy. If you must fight, choose the setting that best suits your needs and abilities. That was what Morty had been aiming for.

"We've got our first one of the day," the girl bellowed into the gym. "He camped out front last night to make sure he was the first one up today. Let's show him a good time, fellas."

"Shut it, Cassie," grouched a man in his early twenties, appearing from the darkness like an apparition. With a shaved head and hard features twisted into a scowl, he came off as an unpleasant sort. "It's too early for your caterwauling."

Cassie, as his guide had been dubbed, flipped off the older man, stomping forward to fill in the position of referee. "I hope you lose," she snapped before turning to regard Naruto. "You know the rules, yeah?"

Naruto answered in the affirmative, unclipping Meowth's ball. It was another gym battle and once more Scyther was out as an option. Having gone to fetch him late the night before, the insect was cleared to battle, but flying was still restricted. It was for this reason, and that all of his attacks were useless against ghost-types, that the bug/flying-type wouldn't be making an appearance.

Naruto couldn't bring himself to feel pity for the battle loving bug. Come time for the tournament, he would be cut loose and allowed to shine.

As was now tradition, Naruto loosened the bow about Meowth's throat.

"No mercy. Our only goal in battle is to win. We don't stop pressing our attack until the enemy is down or I say otherwise. Understood?" It was more than just spooky old campfire tales that made ghost-types notorious amongst the populace. They were amongst some of the most deadly and vicious species of pokemon. May's own horror story with them wasn't an uncommon occurrence. He wasn't just being overcautious with his demand they put down whatever their opponent sent out. It was too dangerous to let a battle with one drag out.

Meowth brushed affectionately against his side, her version of a nod, before trotting out onto the field. She was met by a purple, imp-like creature with diamond-esque eyes and what appeared to be a ruby in the center of its chest. The ghost hissed, baring its maw of serrated fangs.

"Begin."

Both pokemon vanished from sight as soon as Cassie called a start to the match. There was a tense silence shared by Naruto and his opponent that wasn't broken until Meowth reappeared. Though she had been working on extending the length of time she could maintain Feint Attack, the technique was meant only to turn the user invisible for a few seconds, long enough for them to get the drop on an opponent. And while she had indeed increased the duration, this improvement was measured only in seconds.

Meowth flickered into sight, eliciting a command from the opposing trainer.

"Zen Headbutt!" barked Sableye's trainer, all traces of his earlier exhaustion gone.

A small dome of psychic energy formed behind Meowth a heartbeat before Sableye appeared, revealing the film of blue had suffused its diamond-hard skull. Meowth leapt aside, just avoiding the psychic powered headbutt. Without pause, she threw herself at the much slower pokemon, ready to use Bite, one of the few offensive moves she possessed that would be effective against the small ghost. Yet before she could latch on, Sableye faded from sight.

Unlike Meowth and Feint Attack, Sableye could not only become invisible but intangible as well. Leaving Naruto's starter standing in the middle of the field searching for an opponent that was nowhere to be found.

"Power Gem!"

Just as it had been with Zen Headbutt, Sableye gave its position away before ever reappearing. The crimson gem centered in its chest glowed brightly as the specter reformed.

"Behind you," Naruto warned.

Meowth didn't look back, displaying her incredible leaping power and reaction time as she threw herself aside, narrowly dodging a beam of energy. By the time she had turned around, Sableye was once more gone.

"It can't attack without revealing itself," Naruto warned Meowth under his breath. The darkness inside made it easier track its movements. "Watch for the glow of its gems to strike." Just as Meowth was immune to ghost-type moves, Sableye and most ghost-types were immune to normal-type attacks. This immunity made her essential to his strategy, but also limited her just as much as it would the ghost-types.

"Power Gem!"

Meowth didn't bother with using Feint Attack again, waiting for the glow her trainer had mentioned. Staying light on her feet as she scanned the darkness, she spotted the telltale

glow at the same time Naruto called out to her.

No more than a foot behind her, Sableye wasn't taking the chance of missing this time. Meowth's coin illuminated even as she turned on the ghost, the crack of thunder blinding as she fired Thunder Bolt a heartbeat before Power Gem finished charging. Though it was a bad matchup, an electric attack versus a rock-type move, Meowth's attack had the advantage in speed.

Sableye screamed as it was lit up with electricity, the current flooding its nervous system and robbing it of the ability to move. Keeping to Naruto's new adherence to hitting hard and fast, Meowth didn't pause to take stock of her work, unleashing Dark Pulse from up close. Sableye was thrown across the field like a skipping rock, yet Meowth didn't relent. Chasing after her target, she continued to hold Dark Pulse until Sableye was caught between the concentrated beam of dark-type energies and the psychic shields.

"Enough!" Cassie screeched, waving her arms frantically for them to stop. "Sableye is unable to battle! The challenger wins!""

Meowth haltered her attack the moment their victory was announced. The inner light of consciousness had faded from Sableye's diamond-like eyes as it laid prone on the arena floor.

Calling out to Meowth as Sableye was recalled by its understandably upset trainer, Naruto looped her ribbon back around her neck, tying it into a bow that belied the battle that had just transpired.

"Excellent," he praised her. "Just like we spoke about."

Recalling her, Naruto regarded Cassie, who was glaring at him alongside the trainer he had just defeated. "I'll be here for my match with Morty first thing in the morning."

ROOT

Naruto wasn't sure what he had expected from a League Champion. Perhaps someone who embodied strength and wisdom such as the Sandaime or a cold, unflinching leader, whose gaze told of unspeakable horrors such as Danzo had.

Yet the person beaming widely at him from within the monitor lacked all these sought-after traits.

Hoenn champion Wallace could be summed up in a few words at first glance. Eccentric and flamboyant just to name a few.

Dressed in bright, odd clothing that exposed his midriff and bare hips, the man seemed to be the jovial type.

"Uzumaki!" the champion greeted enthusiastically. "I'm so glad to finally meet the young man who saved my beloved Lisia's dear friend."

Naruto nodded stoically, tossing May, who was just out of sight of the camera, a pointed look. For her part, May smiled sheepishly, mouthing an apology. She liked her friend's uncle; really, she did. He had taught her, Lisia, and Courtney a lot about Pokemon Contests. It was thanks to his invaluable advice early on that the three had seen such success in their own careers as Coordinators. But even she would admit he could be a bit much to take in at first.

"As Hoenn Champion, I'd like to offer you my sincere thanks," Wallace said, stepping back from the camera and giving a sweeping bow. "Not just for the safe return of one of my precious citizens, but for protecting a dear friend and a former student of mine. Thank you."

"No problem," Naruto muttered, completely out of his element with the effeminate man and his… abundance of gratitude.

"Nonsense," Wallace whimpered dramatically. "Though all the world's riches and fortunes pale in the face of the debt owed, you must allow me attempt to repay you for your selfless actions."

Before Naruto could reply, the transporter next to the phone illuminated, producing a steady hum not too dissimilar to a fan. When the light faded and the last of the spots in their retina had been blinked away, Naruto and May found themselves staring at an inconspicuous pokeball.

"Go ahead," Wallace urged. "Meet your new companion."

For the first time since learning the man wanted to speak with him, Naruto was happy he had agreed to contact Wallace. A gifted pokemon from a champion was worth more than the small fortune he had received from the League for his part in the fall of the Rocket base in Azalea. Unsure what to expect, he took the ball from the transporter.

"Is it safe to release inside the Pokemon Center?"

Wallace laughed, loud and brightly. "Of course, of course. It's as excited to meet you as I'm sure you are it."

Nodding, Naruto rapidly tapped the button in secession, expanding it and releasing the pokemon within. As the arc of blinding light faded, their eyes slow to adjust, Naruto and May found themselves before a strange, blocky being.

Reminiscent of a crudely rendered paper crane, or perhaps a duck that had seen too much, it was a peculiar mix of pink and turquoise. Its head and body were both polyhedral and its feet were triangular prisms and its rigid, straight tail rectangular. There was something… artificial about the odd little pokemon Naruto couldn't put his finger on. Though one thing was for certain. Be it the Elemental Nations or his time here in Johto, never before had the blond encountered a more bizarre creature.

Naruto nearly leapt out of his skin when the levitating duck barked, a metallic, grating sound. Drifting up to him, it floated about him, inspecting the blond from every angle with intelligent, beady eyes.

May stepped forward, both surprised and curious.

"A Porygon," she mused. The avian grunted, perking up at hearing its name. Zipping to her side, it repeated the same process, examining the lass as if it had never encountered a human being before.

"Porygon?" Naruto parroted, unsure what to make of the creature.

May nodded as she attempted to reach out and pet the creature, only for it to zip away, outside her reach, but still very much curious about her. "It's a manmade pokemon, created in a lab. They're rare. I don't think I've ever seen one outside of the League's custody."

"Manmade?" Naruto muttered, confused.

"Indeed," Wallace confirmed, sending the bird a fond look. "Born from one of the most advance and complex strings of programming code the world has ever seen, it was created by the eccentric genius Dr. Akihabara, the same man responsible for the creation of the Pokemon Transfer System. It can traverse between the physical and digital realm seamlessly, can escape into anything from your pokedex to a computer and further onto the web."

"The model before you was given to me by the president of the Devon Corporation as a congratulatory gift when I became champion," he continued, a sad smile playing on his lips. "And while it has been exceedingly helpful in my day to day and keeping me organized, I've been unable to provide it with the attention it deserves."

"I thought the Porygon coding was patented?" May split her attention between the pokemon eyeballing her and her one-time mentor. "How did Devon get their hands on one?"

"How do they always go about getting their way?" Wallace scoffed, amused by her naivety.

"Threw enough money around until they got what they wanted. From what Steven told me, they were able broker a deal for three in total. They were even able to negotiate permission to examine and improve upon Porygon's code."

"Improve how?" Naruto asked. His initial dubiousness took a back seat to his curiosity. He was by no means an expert where technology was concerned, but even he could see the usefulness of such a pokemon.

Wallace made a strange, cooing sound deep in his throat that saw Porygon's head snap in his direction. It zoomed over to the monitor, hesitating only a second before its form tensed and suddenly distorted. A moment later, it appeared on the screen, next to Wallace, all the way in Hoenn.

"It's possible for Porygon to evolve twice," he explained as said program zoomed around his head, making the same hollow screech as before. "But much like a pokemon who needs an evolution stone, it first must receive an upgrade and then additional software. Or so they normally would. The minds over at Devon were able to improve upon the original coding, intergrading both pieces of software."

Tickling it beneath the chin, Wallace bid the program farewell before waving it back toward the screen.

"Translation: it will evolve like a normal pokemon," he concluded as Porygon reappeared on their side of the screen. Not sitting still for long, it drifted off to inspect the nooks and crannies of the center's communication center.

"As the beauty at your said stated, you don't encounter them in the possession of trainers. And while I worked with it very little in our time together, its potential is great. What will become of Porygon, whether it meets this potential or not, is up to you."

ROOT

"Good job today." Naruto patted Meowth on the head, unfurling her bow as he stepped back. Nodding to her, she gave him the same nod as she crouched on all fours.

Naruto stood by as a copy of himself released the Meisaigakure no Jutsu, appearing just out of Meowth's sight and lashing out with a kick. The blow wasn't strong enough to cause any real harm, but would leave enough of a mark to assure she would try harder not to be hit.

Though the kick carried her across the clearing, she landed on all fours, ready to pounce. But the clone had already vanished.

Scattered throughout the woods, the same scene was playing out with the rest of the team. Staryu, Arbok, and Scyther were doing the same training, honing their reaction time to an opponent that could literally appear out of thin air. If they could hit Morty's team, then Naruto knew they could win.

Beyond the capture of Staryu and Scyther and earning the latter's respect, he hadn't raised a hand against his team since the Team Rocket incident in Azalea. He had thought long and hard about this method of training, weighing the many pros and cons, and eventually came to the conclusion that there could be a balance. He wasn't a ROOT handler, nor was he Danzo. He could spar and battle with his team without it escalating to the point of senseless violence.

This hands-on approach would be no different than when Arbok and Meowth or any of the others sparred. Danzo, the sadistic bastard, had perfected the process of creating soldiers. The best form of training wasn't practicing jutsu or kata, though doing so certainly helped, it came from seeing live action.

Battling a superior opponent was the best form of training. This meant he would have to be rough with them for there to be any improvement. The most difficult part would be making sure he didn't take things too far.

Naruto stepped away from the rest of his team as he unleashed Porygon. The artificial bird chirped, scanning the woods with the same earnest curiosity it looked at much of the world with.

" _Porygon, the Virtual Pokemon. Consisting entirely of programming code, it can survive without food and water and is capable of moving freely in cyberspace_."

"This pokemon knows the following moves: Tackle, Conversation, Conversation 2, Sharpen, Magnate Rise, Psybeam, and Signal Beam. Its ability is Trace, which allows it to copy other pokemon's special ability."

Impressed with her move pool and ability, he began researching the attacks that he didn't recognize. Of which, there had been more than one.

On initial appearances alone, Porygon seemed as if it would become a valuable member of the team given time. Unfortunately, no matter how effective it might be against Morty and his ghosts, Naruto wouldn't be using the normal-type in his gym match the next day. Until he had a firm grasp of exactly what it was capable of, Porygon would be sidelined.

ROOT

The rain had finally stopped the previous evening, leaving the world damp and the air humid. None of this mattered as Naruto approached the Ecruteak Gym at exactly six AM. Just as he reached the doors, they opened revealing Cassie. The dark-haired lass wore a guarded expression as she nodded him in. There was none of her previous sass, only a wariness that Naruto found preferable.

"Leader Morty is inside," she informed him, having led him to the rear of the gym, pointing to an open doorway that led into pitch darkness. "He's waiting for you."

With a silence that even Naruto knew was unlike the girl, she stepped away, leaving him alone. Naruto wasted no time, entering the doorway immediately.

"Ty was very upset by his loss to you."

Naruto found himself standing opposite a fellow blond. Forgoing the gloomy atmosphere of the rest of the gym, the room was brightly lit and spartan. With only one entrance and no windows, the only thing of note was the plain battlefield the man was standing at the head of.

"He's a promising trainer," the blond continued. "But has a tendency of taking himself too seriously. I tell him all the time he needs to loosen up a bit. Find himself a girlfriend. Maybe then he wouldn't stress out over every loss."

"I'm here to challenge you for the Fog Badge," Naruto announced.

Morty smiled widely. The curve of the lips lacked any hardness or unpleasantness. It was open, carefree, and welcoming. The total opposite of what one would expect of Johto's premier ghost-type specialist.

"Old Gengy was right," he mused cryptically.

Naruto's eyes narrowed, his thoughts going back to the Gengar that invaded their campsite on the way to Ecruteak. "The Gengar from that night. It was yours," he accused with an edge.

Morty took the accusation in stride, the same disarming quality as before shining through as he shook his head. "No. Gengy is as old as Ecruteak and has been haunting the forests around here since before its foundation."

"So it just happened upon our campsite?" Naruto challenged disbelievingly. Only fools and the soon to be dead believed in coincidences and happenstance.

"Oh, no. I don't believe that at all. He came hunting for you," Morty revealed, sounding as if he had informed him he had won a raffle. "You see, when I was young, I found myself lost in those woods. I was there for hours, and before I knew it, night had fallen. No older than eight-years-old. Understandably, I was quite terrified. Though my fear was nothing compared to when I found myself face to face with that ancient old spook."

Morty shook his head fondly. "It was that encounter that set me on my destined path. What would see me one day surround myself with creatures that others speak of in hushed whispers. You know, Gengy saw something in you it liked. Said you had the same eyes as himself."

Recalling those cruel, crimson pits of malice, Naruto fought off a shudder. Noticing his reaction, Morty chuckled.

"Will four on four be acceptable?" Naruto bobbed his head in reply. "Then let us begin."

Arbok appeared at the same time as one of the most beautiful pokemon Naruto had ever seen. Levitating a foot above the ground and with twin horns crafted of ice upon its teardrop head, the pokemon looked remarkably like it was wearing a kimono. The creature was graceful and inspired awe more than fear. It was anything but the stuff of nightmares.

Given its horns and the way the breath it expelled birthed traces of frost on the air, Naruto felt it safe to assume it was a dual ice/ghost-type.

"Just because Gengy likes you doesn't mean I'll take it easy on you," Morty barked good-naturedly. "Froslass, Ice Shard into Ominous Wind!"

Froslass took a deep breath before exhaling. Her frosty breath made the transition to shards of ice suffused with a wind that was a concerning shade of purple. Even from the safety outside the psychic shields, the stench and sense of foreboding produced from Ominous Wind was overpowering.

Arbok dodged the attack the only way he could, escaping into the ground. As a reptile, he was susceptible to the cold; this, added to the fact that Froslass could levitate, meaning he couldn't track her movements and the subsequent vibrations underground, made this match up a bad one for the snake.

"Surface and use Haze."

Arbok's hooded head broke the ground behind Froslass, a fountain of murky, oily smoke billowing from his mouth. By the time Froslass noticed, her portion of the field was covered in a dense fog.

"Clear it away!" Morty ordered. "Icy Wind!"

Froslass blew away the smoke with a chilling wind, never seeing the serpent coiled just beneath her. Tail encased in a silver glow, Arbok struck, the appendage catching the spirit in the face with devastating force.

The dual-type gave a haunting wail, rocked by the steel-type move, one of her weaknesses. Yet before Arbok could seize the opportunity to continue, Froslass vanished.

"Haze," Naruto ordered.

Arbok vanished in a cloud of smoke that rapidly spilled over, enveloping a large portion of the arena. As was expected of him, the serpent knew to keep moving.

"From up top, let's make it windy."

"Get underground."

Froslass appeared high over the field, producing a sinister wind so cold it shimmered with a wintery mix. The combination of Icy Wind and Ominous Wind cleared away Haze, leaving a dusting of ice in its wake.

"Sludge Wave!"

Arbok erupted from the ground with all the grace of a wrecking ball, a wave of poison fountaining from his massive jaws. Froslass was doused in the tar like poison and even inhaled the noxious fumes.

Ghost-types, for the most part, were resistant to poison. Understandably, after all, poison was meant to taint and wreak havoc upon flesh and blood, something that was made difficult when your opponent possessed a tangible form only in the loosest of definitions.

But it distracted Froslass long enough for Arbok to do what he did best, get in close and tear his prey apart. Using his body like a spring, Arbok defied his bulk, launching himself into the air.

"Froslass! Move!"

With the raw increase in strength that came with evolution, Arbok's Bite had evolved as well. It could no longer be labeled as such, but was now Crunch. Fangs aglow with white light, Arbok latched onto Froslass with enough force to sever a human arm.

With the added weight of Arbok's bulk and unable to turn intangible thanks to her weakness to Crunch, a dark-type attack, Froslass tumbled ungracefully to the ground. Before they ever crashed, Arbok was raining down Iron Tail with a reckless abandon.

"Froslass, Destiny Bond!"

Naruto was livid as he watched a purple light overcome the nearly unconscious Froslass, her head lolling as she struggled to stay awake long enough for one last attempt to even the score. The menacing light transferred to Arbok just as the serpent brought down the finishing blow.

Naruto unclipped his friend's ball even as the ghost went limp within his teeth. It was as the serpent released the snow spirit that he stiffened, narrowed eyes widening before he too collapsed, unconscious.

Naruto recalled Arbok as Morty did Froslass. The ghost trainer smiled when catching his eye.

"That was a fun match."

Naruto grunted as he unhooked Meowth's ball. It had been a cheap move that Morty had pulled. Had it been against anyone besides himself, Naruto would have applauded him. As it was, it felt as if he had been robbed of a victory.

Morty eyed the normal-type as it trotted up to Naruto, waiting patiently for him to take her bow. As the blond pocketed the ribbon, Morty released what looked like an old, dark cloth thrown over a ball. The creature's large, hypnotic eyes danced over Meowth, whose hackles bristled in response, before coming to rest upon Naruto. Curiosity turned to hunger as it floated forward, its objective clear: Naruto himself.

"Shuppet," Morty interjected, stopping the large eyed ghost. Yet its sights never wavered from the blond. "Sorry about that. Shuppet are attracted to negative emotion. I guess you took Froslass' final move personally."

Naruto responded to the quip by starting the match. "Get in close and unseen."

Meowth leapt forward, disappearing as Shuppet finally tore its eyes away from Naruto. The ghost glared into nothingness, attempting to locate its opponent, but to no success.

When finally Meowth reappeared, she was in midleap, aiming for the spirit's back. Shuppet tensed, spinning about and firing off a kneejerk Shadow Ball. Yet the attack dispersed harmlessly against the normal-type as she used Bite on the only portion of Shuppet that she could find purchase on, its horn.

Shuppet grunted as it attempted to shake off the cat. Unable to free itself, it tried to turn intangible, but was unable to thanks to Bite.

Naruto was initially surprised that Bite wasn't just another normal-type move, but he wasn't complaining. From the research he had done on ghost-types, he knew that most were weak to dark-types and their savage attacks.

"Shuppet," Morty called for its attention. "Shake it free and use Knockoff!"

The ghost attempted once more to yank itself free. Realizing Meowth had no intention of releasing it, Shuppet screeched, releasing a gout of bluish flames from its mouth and directly into Meowth's chest. Said feline hissed as she released the ghost, only for Shuppet's skirt to take on the vague form of a hand and lash out, knocking her back.

The fur along her chest slightly singed, Meowth landed upright, only to charge forward once more. Shuppet spit more of its colorful flames, yet she vanished before they could reach her. Almost instantly, Meowth released Feint Attack, surprising Shuppet and both humans as she appeared directly in front of the ghost.

"Dark Pulse!" Shuppet was obviously more of an in close fighter than the elusive Froslass had been. This coupled with a majority of its attacks being rendered ineffective thanks to Meowth's typing, and Naruto knew this match wouldn't end the same way as the previous battle.

Shuppet's ghostly wail was smothered as Meowth directed the beam into its face as it attempted to flee. Severing Dark Pulse almost instantly, her coin flashed as she fired off a rapid Thunder Bolt. Electricity illuminating its ghostly form, Meowth once more used Dark Pulse. The powerful beam caught Shuppet before it could recover, ending the match.

Meowth made her way back into her section of the field as Morty recalled the unconscious ghost. Even knocked out, it continued to defy gravity, levitating.

"Your team has been trained well," Morty smiled, enjoying himself. "I'll need to step things up. My beloved Mismagius won't be so easy an opponent."

The ghost to appear could have passed for a levitating head with a ridiculous hat and flowing skirt. Across its chest were a trio of gems that glowed in tandem with its sharp, orange eyes.

Naruto and Meowth both tensed as the creature began to hum a haunting hymn. The blonde swallowed thickly as a wave of misery washed over him, stirring memories of his time in ROOT. The beatings, constant sense of helplessness, and the horror that clutched at his heart as he was forced to fight his best friend, Sai, to the death. His first kill and induction into ROOT.

Only the field, Meowth didn't seem to be taking Mismagius' incantation any better. Every plane of her body was tensed, her teeth bared as she listened to the sadistic melancholy inducing song.

"That's as good as a start as any," Naruto growled. "Shut it up. Screech!"

Meowth's anger amplified the auditory attack as she charged at the ghost.

"That doesn't work on Mismagius," Morty chided as if he were a foolish child.

"It wasn't meant for Mismagius," Naruto smirked.

The sound of her own screeching reverberated within her own skull, canceling out Mismagius' song. She was at the midway point when she leapt at the ghost, her coin giving a telling glow as she used Thunderbolt. Displaying speed as impressive as Meowth's own, Mismagius dodged the bolt, her song dying on her lips as Meowth used Feint Attack.

"Don't let it close," Morty ordered. "Magical Leaf!"

Mismagius spun about in air, releasing a cloud of leaves from the folds of her hat and skirt, all of which glowed and sparked. Hanging on the air for a moment just as a normal leaf might, they abruptly stiffened, turning razor sharp, as an invisible force launched them outward in a halo of flora. It was behind her and to the left that Meowth appeared, a pained grunt escaping her as she was caught in the tsunami of leaves.

"She might be able to imitate a ghost's ability to hide, but intangibility is beyond her," Morty informed him. "Turn up the heat, my darling."

Mismagius barked, spitting a stream of red hot fire at Meowth. Claws digging into the field, she recklessly threw herself aside, sprinting in a wide circle around the ghost. When Mismagius redirected the flame to follow after her, Meowth used Feint Attack to escape.

"No more hiding," Morty barked. "Magical Leaf again. Then follow it up!"

Spinning like a top, Mismagius unleashed another on slot of leaves and once more caught Meowth, this time standing just in front of Morty. But unlike last time, Mismagius was prepared. Gems and eyes illuminating crimson, she fired what looked to be a psychedelic, multi colored beam that Naruto recognized as Psybeam.

Meowth wasn't the only one to hold an opponent under an attack. Mismagius didn't release Psybeam, pushing the normal-type back. With a hiss, Meowth buckled under the attack, falling. Yet as she fell, she used Dark Pulse. The beam of dark-type energy sliced through the air, missing the ghost by inches. Yet it accomplished what it was meant to, distract Mismagius.

The ghost severed her attack, dodging Dark Pulse even though it would have missed her anyway. This gave a weak and panting Meowth the time she needed to get up and take off.

"I guess it's time to use it," Naruto called out cryptically. The blond had considered this at length. With a trainer like Morty standing in their way, it had been the right time to give it to her.

Once more running circles around the spirit, Meowth caught onto his words, disappearing from sight as she launched herself in Mismagius' direction. The ghost didn't need to be prompted a third time, she spun the moment Meowth was out of sight, producing a blizzard of flora.

When Meowth released Feint Attack it was with Dark Pulse on her lips. The beam of dark energy cut a swath through the wall of Magical Leaf, clipping the ghost's hat-like head. Clearing her makeshift path with a few speedy strides, Meowth threw herself at Mismagius, her right front paw cloaked in a gauntlet of shadow.

He had gotten Shadow Claw from the rocket base back in Azalea, and had been holding off on it for a while. The last technique Meowth had learned, be it via TM or naturally, was almost a month earlier, back before their battle with Whitney. The decision to break this streak came the night before as Meowth spared with his clone. He had intended to wait longer, preferably after she evolved, but now seemed as good a time as any to equip her with the ghost-type attack since said type was generally weak to its own kind.

Meowth raked her shadow enhanced claw the length of the ghost's chest. A hurt Mismagius fled, levitating out of her reach as it reeled from the blow, but Meowth wasn't done. Leaping as high as she could, her coin flashed with lightning that was followed closely by Shadow Claw.

As the feline landed, nearly collapsing from all the nicks and cuts adorning her form from Magical Leaf, Mismagius lost consciousness.

With the grace period until the next pokemon was sent out, Meowth limped across the field as the specter's ghostly form turned transparent, appearing as if it might disappear on the air.

"I can see why Gengy likes you so much. You're a worthy opponent," Morty admitted, calm and cool about the loss of his third pokemon. "Of all the trainers to challenge me in the past few weeks for their fourth badge, few have earned the opportunity to face my next pokemon."

It came as no surprise when Haunter appeared hovering over the field, its cruel eyes and wolfish smile enough to make anyone hesitant about meeting it in battle. Morty's love of the species and its evolutionary line was well known. Naruto had fully expected to face it or its base evolution, Gastly.

Luckily, Gengar wasn't an option for Morty in this battle. Naruto knew that facing Morty's devil of a Gengar would be more than his entire team could face at once.

"Come back and rest," Naruto ordered. Meowth warily eyed the spirit as she trotted to his side. "I might need you back out there depending on how things go with Staryu."

This was very much a test. Perhaps it was foolish of him to have used Meowth before Staryu, when the feline was arguably the best equipped to battle Morty's spook filled team. But the starfish would never reach its full potential if it didn't challenge itself against opponents stronger than itself. He needed to know if his work with the water-type was working, or if he needed to approach its training from a new angle.

Staryu appeared and immediately began rolling from one point to the next, giving its eardrum shattering screech. Its gem flicked rapidly, betraying its excitement.

"How will you measure up?" Morty inquired, jaunty.

The start of the match came as the crookedly grinning Haunter waved one of its disembodied hands buoyantly at Staryu before fading into a gas that dispersed on the air.

Haunter and its line were gaseous, amorphic beings. Living, or unliving as it were, shrouds of poison. The species was infamous for its sadistic tendencies. It wasn't uncommon in areas where the breed resided to find other pokemon, and even the occasional human, tortured to death, smothered with gases that had seemingly clawed its way down their throat and pooling in their lungs.

Staryu screeched upon losing sight of the spirit, moving its top point about as if it were scanning the field. Its search came to an end as Haunter took form behind it, both of its clawed hands fisted, one engulfed in shadow the other in a sinister glow of dark-type energy. Before the starfish knew what was happening, Haunter rained down blows, alternating between Shadow and Sucker Punch.

"Aqua Defense!"

Rapidly becoming overwhelmed, Staryu spun, using Harden and Water Gun in tandem. Harden and Rapid Spin were useless against Haunter, but the jet of pressurized water caught it in its wide maw, giving Staryu the time needed to put distance between itself and the spook.

"Psywave!"

Staryu's gem pulsed blue, producing rings of psionic energy that made a hissing Haunter turn invisible.

"Keep moving," Naruto barked. "Don't give it the chance to catch you!"

Rolling from one point to the next, Staryu didn't stop, randomly hurling itself bodily through the air. It was during one such leap that Haunter striked. Appearing alongside the starfish, keeping pace without difficulty, it caught the water-type in the gem, striiking it midleap with a Shadow Punch. Staryu crashed to the ground with Haunter tracking its fall with a smile, eyes taking on a sinister red that rapidly enveloped its entire body. Making a purring, crooning sound deep in its chest that left goosebumps trailing down Naruto's spine, a wave of crimson energy, the same as that which Haunter was bathed in, consumed Staryu.

The starfish was still for all of a heartbeat before its terrible screech pierced the air. The star writhed uncontrollably, floundering in pain, unable to escape its assailant.

"Psywave!"

Convulsing and in agony, Staryu blindly obeyed, kinetic rings rippling from its gem and slamming into the ghoul. Haunter shrieked, its terrible hold over Staryu, Night Shade, shattering as it vanished on the air.

Naruto finally understood how frustrating it must be to battle the Feint Attack loving Meowth. The way Morty's team could up and disappear when the whim took them made it nearly impossible to hit and attack them.

It wasn't that Staryu was weak or that its training was lacking, though he would certainly be investing more stake in seeing that she was reaching her full potential. Haunter was just that strong.

"Recover!" Naruto ordered, hoping it could heal before the match could continue.

Yet before Staryu had regained its bearings, Haunter returned, waving its hands in a hypnotic pattern. Rings similar to Psywave washed over the starfish. The water-type's movements instantly became sluggish, its top three points sagging with exhaustion and the rapid-fire pulsing of its gem slowed, becoming a rhythmic, listless flicker.

The previous attack had done a number on Staryu, leaving it all but helpless to resist the fatigue forced upon it.

Naruto recalled the starfish as it slumped forward, asleep. Technically, a battle could continue even after a participant was asleep. Yet Staryu had no way of defending itself while unconscious. Allowing the match to continue would see Haunter having its way with it, which would prove unfortunate for them in the extreme.

The only attack Scyther knew that would be of use in this battle was Air Slash, a move he had yet to perfect. It was for this reason that he had no other choice than to send Meowth back out. Coming to this realization on her own, she brushed against his leg as she ambled back out onto the field.

The decision to begin the match was taken from both Morty's and Naruto's hands. The moment the psychic shields were erected once more, Meowth and Haunter vanished. The latter was sprinting as fast as she could, slipping in and out of sight as she went.

"Enough games," Morty ordered, speaking for the first time since calling on Haunter. His tone, which had been light throughout, now carried a steely edge. "Venoshock!"

Haunter turned visible before Morty had finished speaking, retching, throwing up globs of poisonous fluid. Lobbing them at Meowth every time she would appear, she would vanish before they reached her, exploding and staining the field with puddles of toxins.

Meowth had been using and releasing Feint Attack in quick session, popping in and out of sight, but abruptly changed tactics, vanishing and staying that way longer than Naruto had ever seen. Haunter displayed its impatience, attacking wildly when unable to locate her, dousing the field in enough poison that traversing it was rapidly becoming a hazard.

"Focus," Morty firmly demanded.

The moment Haunter finished regurgitating its foul poison, Meowth was there, raking her shadow enhanced claws through the spirit's side. Haunter screeched as it lashed out blindly with Sucker Punch, catching Meowth in the face and throwing her back with the force of the blow. Yet before gravity could take its course, Haunter appeared over her, slamming both fists into her narrow form.

Naruto pushed against the psychic shields, the raw energy needed to fend off attacks searing his palms. Hand raw and blistering, he snatched the feline's ball from his hip.

It was over.

Meowth, though still conscious, if just barely, had had enough. Scyther could take over, though he didn't like the insect's chances against the beast of a ghost-type. He now understood May's disdain with the species, and respected them all the more for it.

"She fought valiantly," Morty commended respectfully.

Naruto ignored him, pointing the sphere at his starter, guilt, the one emotion he had become most familiar with in his time in this world, gnawing at his gut. Tapping the button, his index paused just before completing the second tap that would recall her as Meowth's abused form was suffused with light. Soft at first, he had just enough time to avert his gaze before it tripled in intensity. The world around them lit up, tattooing onto his eyes even though they were shut.

When finally the lightshow subsided, Morty, Haunter, and Naruto were left staring at the majestic form of a big cat. Hard, sinfully proud eyes seared into Haunter's as a sound too mighty to be labeled a growl rippled in her chest. Even rising to her feet, her form still covered in light traces of blood, was a display of power and grace.

From less than ten pounds to close to two hundred, Persian's form was a testament to how power and beauty could go hand in hand. Lean, rock hard muscles rippled and flexed beneath her tawny coat with every minute movement. Gone was the disproportion between her head and body, and her beloved coin was now replaced with a red jewel.

A now haggard looking Haunter hissed at the massive cat, glaring balefully. Persian returned the look with one that was equal parts disdainful and taunting. An impressive feat for a creature without human features. The hiss tearing from her throat was now as intimidating as the rest of her.

Without prompting, she dashed forward without the use of Feint Attack, displaying a speed that left Naruto smirking like a loon. Scyther was going to be pissed. He was no longer the fastest member of their team.

Haunter's eyes widened, taken aback by the drastic increase in speed, before it hastily disappeared. Persian, both of her front paws illuminated with Shadow Claw, skidded to a halt where the ghost had been half a second before.

Tensed and poised to pounce, she scanned the field with sharp eyes, her thick, sensitive whiskers twitching, reading the air flow for any disturbances.

"Now," Morty barked abruptly.

In the same breath, the whiskers upon the left side of Persian's muzzle stiffened. Falling flat to her stomach, she avoided Haunter's wild haymaker, her jewel responding with a glow. The field lit up once more as a bolt of lightning caught Haunter as it attempted to use Sucker Punch again. An airy, pained hiss escaped the ghost as it found itself unable to move.

A look of twisted glee warmed the dark depths of Persian's gaze as she descended upon the spook with claws aglow. It was as she dragged them along its unguarded face a third time, each blow carrying enough force to kill a human, that Morty recalled his final pokemon.

If it were possible at all for a ghost to bleed, Naruto was sure Haunter's cruel features would have been ribbons of gore.

"This is your victory," Morty sighed, his earlier smile returning. The psychic shields having faded, he cut across the field with a small piece of metal in hand. "I haven't had a battle that enjoyable in some time. I have no regrets presenting you with the Fog Badge."

Whispering how proud he was of her into the shell of Persian's sensitive ear, he traced the lithe muscle just beneath her fur as he ran a hand the length of her spine. With a final word of thanks and an encouragement to rest, he recalled her and accepted the badge from Morty.

"I'm looking forward to your performance in the Brass tournament. Your team has what it takes to make it far."

Naruto nodded. "Maybe we can battle again someday," he suggested before turning on his heel and leaving. Just as it had been after his match with Falkner, this hadn't felt like a win.

He had miscalculated. Had Persian not evolved they would have likely lost. It wasn't only Staryu that needed training. He did as well.

But all that could wait till later. For now, his team needed to see a Nurse Joy. And he wouldn't say no to a bowl of warm ramen.

AN: Not all victories are uplifting, such as the battle with Morty showed. This will be a huge stepping stone for the blond.

I'm a huge fan of Porygon. It's versatile and I can't wait to explore the full range of its capabilities. As for those of you who are worried about Naruto's team being full, I have thing plotted out for that. No worries.

As always, if you enjoyed this, please review.


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